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THE NOISIEST THING IN VERA CRUZ IS THE
WEEPING AMERICAN DOLLAR
BY FRED L. BOALT.
Vera Cruz, -Mex., May 20. The
noisiest thing in JVIexico is a jeopard
ized American dollarYou can hear
its cries any evening on the Plaza de
la Cathedral.
"What," the American business
man who has fled from Mexico wants
to know, "are we loafing here in Vera
Cruz for? When are our troops going
to march on the capital?"
The American business man left
Mexico City hurriedly. He left'a busi
ness worth, say, $100,000. For all he
knows the federals have burned his
store and looted his safe.
He wants to know if there are such
things as the rights of property. It is
the duty of the United States gov
ernment, he says,, to protect Amer
ican business interests abroad. ,
"What is your business in Mexico
City worth?" he was asked.
"One hundred thousand dollars,"
he said and groaned.
"And you want American troops to
go to Mexico City and save it?"
"I certainly do. I'm an American
'citizen "
"How long have you lived in Mex
ico?" "Twenty-five years."
"Pay any taxes in the United
States?"
"Certainly not. My property is all
in Mexico."
"Ever go home to vote?"
"No."
"Then you, who don't care enough
about your country to live there
sometimes or' to vote or pay taxes,
want American soldiers sent to Mex
ico City to save your property?"
"But don't you see that I am not
alone in Mexico? There are hun
dreds yes, thousands of Americans
in business in Mexico City."
"Exactly," spoke up one of the
newspaper men "The census of 1910
gave 15,000 Americans in Mexico and
a total population of 16,000,000.
''Of the 15,000 Americans, we'll say
5,000 are men working for the big
mining and oil companies for wages
and small salaries. That leaves 10,000
of the big fellows. And you want 90,
000,000 people to come to the rescue
of 10,000!"
"Well, if we don't do something
soon, it will be impossible to do busi
ness in Mexico."
"Therefore, we must teach the
Mexicans a lesson? If we were to
L march on Mexico City, how many
Americans do you suppose would
die?"
"I don't want any of them to die,"
the American business man protested.
"But they will die. A lot of them
will die. Let's say that one man would
die for every $10,000 worth of prop
erty owned by Americans. Ten would
die for yours. I had to leave the capi
tal in a hurry, too. I left behind a
piano, a dress suit and some other
things. I demand that my property
rights be protected. Maybe a soldier
will die for my piano and dress suit,
also!
"The man who will die for my piano
joined the army from patriotic mo
tives. So did the 10 who will die for
yours. They are better Americans
than you are, because- they stay at
home and vote andpay taxes. They
are producers and some day they will
be if they are not now husbands
and fathers of children."
"But, doggone it, haven't I any
rights at all in Mexico?"
"Not one. You knew Mexico was
turbulent when you came in. You
took a gambler's chance, because
there was a prospect of big profits.
You've lost. 'That's all you've lost."
Then aE the little jeopardized
American dollars clamored twice as
loudly as before.
But the army at Vera GTruz sheds .
few tears with the weeping American
dollarsi
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