CURRENT TOPICS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 65, 21 June 1916, Page 5

CURRENT TOPICS.

The announcement that Mexico had declared war on "Uncle Sam" raised a smile on many a face when the news came through yesterday, at the idea, of the little State presuming to fight the big fellow, but it must not be forgotten that the country is nearly as large as Europe, excluding Russia. The American, British, French, German, and Spanish interests in Mexico are enormous, all of which were in danger of being gravely injured by the recent conditions of anarchy which prevailed, but no European action could be taken to protect its nationals on account of the Monroe Doctrine, by which the United States has virtually made herself responsible for the preservation cf order on the American continent. The present trouble arose over the presence of American troops in Mexico in pursuit of bandits who were despoiling the property of Americans, whose lives were in danger. President Carranza demanded the withdrawal of these forces, but the States Cabinet flatly rejected the demand and rebuked him for his discourtesy. Anti-American feeling in Mexico is at fever heat and tjie States has despatched a warship and some torpedo bouts to Mexican waters, while more troops are being appealed for Joy the General in charge of the frontier. The position is decidedly interesting in view of the extent of pro-German feeling in the States, and many people are of the opinion that "Uncle Sam" is in for a bad time.

The last war between Mexico and the United States was in 1845-6, which arose from boundary questions due to the admission of Texas into the Union. Mexico lost some 5(58.000 square miles of territory, for which, however, she received first and last 25,000,000 dollars in compensation. In April, 1014, there was a grave crisis, and war was narrowly averted. The American Atlantic Fleet was ordered to Tampico and possession was taken of Vera Cruz. However, the South American Republics immediately offered their services as mediators, and were successful.in patching up the breach. But President Huerta resigned in July, then -.complete anarchy prevailed for several months. For years, however, the country has been torn by dissension, and the names of Villa, Zapata, Madero, Huerta, and Carranza are familiar to readers as the leaders in the strife. The Mexican Army lias been referred to as a concourse of picturesque ruffians, and on paper it numbers 150,000, but there is no doubt that every able-bodied man in the country would volunteer and shoulder a rifle in the case of invasion by a foreign foe. The Army is said to be poorly 'equipped and badly trained, but they are skilful and experienced guerilla fighters, and under the regime of President Huerta great improvement was noticeable in the army organisation. General Carranza, who came into power in 11)14, is a grim, forceful, determined man. He was educated for the law and practised it until his eyes gave out; then he went .to ranching. "There is not an ounce of brigand in him," says one writer, "He is just a great leader."

Opposed to the United States' fleet, the .Mexican Navy is practically negligible. It consists of a number of "gun-vessels," ranging in size from 450 tons to 1200 tons. The biggest guns are of 4.7 in calibre. There are two gunboats and five torpedo-boats. The United States will have much more trouble on land than on sea if the war becomes a war of subjugation. The organisation is not good. Before the Spanish-American War the size of the Regular Army was limited to 60,000, and now is limited to 100.000. Not more than 60,000 regular troops, however, could be but into the held. Behind these is the National Guard, or

organised militia, maintained by the various States. The total strength of this'force is about 120,000. and is estimated that about three-fourths ol the whole could be mobilised. The President can call out this militia for service either within or without the borders of the Union. Behind this force is the manhood of the nation, which is legally liable to serve in a national emergency for a period of two years. Of course, the improvement, if any, which has been made since the outbreak of the present European struggle is not known, and the chances are that the foregoing figures are only approximately correct.

The republic of Mexico lies between the Gulf of Mexico in the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean, extending from the boundary of the United States to Guatemala and British Honduras and including the peninsula of Lower California. Two great ranges, both called Sierra Madre, and connected with the mountains of California, run southwards, one near each coast, and gradually approach until they meet in the south of the State below Puebla. From 5000 feet in height in the north, they rise to nearly 18,000 feet near their junction. Owing to the configuration of the country, the rivers are in general short and of little use for navigation. The longest and the greatest of the rivers is the Rio Grande del Norte, which forms the greater part of the boundary between Mexico and the United States, and which is bound to be mentioned repeatedly in the fighting that will ensue between the respective farces. The Rio Grande falls after a course of 1800 miles into the Gulf of Mexico.

The temperature of Mexico varies, of course, with the climate, but the valley of Mexico, in the south, has » particularly agreeable climate. The rainfall averages 59 inches in the year, but it is' very unequally distributed. Tropical forests cover large areas in the south, yielding mahogany, logwood and other products. Here is the region of cocoa. Coffee is grown along the Pacific Coast and in the. province of Vera Cruz, which also yields excellent tobacco. Sugar and cotton are extensively cultivated, also silk and tropical fruits, etc. Minerals, live stock, etc:, are exported to the annual value of over 26 millions, the most important ports being Vera Cruz and Tampico in the Gulf of Mexico, and Mazatlan on the coast of the Pacific. Four railways run across the United States boundary, and these we may expect to find bulking largely in the Avar news of the future. The Tehuantepec railway connects the two oceans. In other parts the sierras are great obstacles to the extension of railways from east to west; they have, however, been crossed between Mexico and Toluca in the south at a height of 10,600 feet. In 1910, 15,350 miles of railways wore open.

The particulars of most interest to readers, no doubt, are those relating to the area and population of the country. Of the total population, 19 per cent are of European race, 4*3 are half-breeds, and 38 are pure Indians. It will be noted that the predominating influence is of the savage type, and thus will he explained to a certain extent the groat unrest in which

the country has been enveloped in recent years. The bulk ol ihe population belong to tiic Unman Carbolic Church, the connection of which .'.Oh the State has been severed. The area of Mexico is 7(>7.!'(>o aerr-s, and the total population is about sixlocn millions,

Mexico Mas discovered by the

in the lGtli century. In 1521 Cortez completed the conquest of the native Aztec kingdom, and Mexico continued to be a Spanish colony till 1822, when she asserted her independence from Spain, and established a federal republic (1821). In 1835 Texas gained her independence, and Mexico sustained a further loss in the cession of Upper California and New Mexico to the United States (1848). A European expeditionary force landed in 1862 to enforce satisfaction for wrongs and injustice done to foreigners, and in the following year the French troops entered the capital, and in 1861 proclaimed an (empire under Maximilian of Austria. In 1807, however, they were compelled to evacuate the country, tlie empire was overthrown, and Maximilian was shot. The government is now a federal republic consisting of twen-ty-seven states, three territories, and a federal district, under a president, who is elected for six years, and may be elected for consecutive terms. The legislative power is in the hands of a. Chamber of Deputies (one member for every 10,000 inhabitants), and a Senate of fifty-six members. It was in 1876 that the famous lawyer-general, Porfirio Diaz, the one Mexican statesman decorated with the Order of the Bath, rose to the head of affairs, and, with one brief four years' interval of voluntary retirement, he held the Presidencv until 1911.