Nov.-Dec. 1939
ÍNTO MEXiqO
Our trip to Mexj.co was prompted. by the desire to unveil, at least partially, the curtains that hide so many artistic and natural traasures and get in touch with an almost mysterious race whose virtues and vices are so opposed that they baffle the most studious observers.
Shortly after crossing the international boundry you come to the longest stretch of road in the .vhole "orld-about forty-two-
miles without a turn or a curve or even a slight deflection of road, and in e serni-desert country, flat and lifeless only to be followed by the most winding, fertile and inspiring road that I have ever seen.
You .f'.nd in Mexico all t/ e climate conditions that you can hope for. Even the casual traveler will have a taste of tropical, semi-tropical, temperate, and. cold climate by only following the international highway, Lareoo-Mexico. From the tropical palm-jungles of Valles and Pamazunchale, where the. ever-rebelling Huasteca dwells, works, and sings to the accompaniment of wild parrots, canaries, and a great variety of tropical birds, to the lofty peaks of che High Sierras that lead to the valle de'KezJco (over R,000 feet high) one will go through the most contrasting climate.
As I am Interested in política, not in its popular aspect but as It reveals tt-.e social conditions of a country. Having read Sb much about Mexico, Its revolutions, religious nersecutlons, oil and land oxnroniattons-, etc,, I wanted to know for myself what was the attitude of masses toward their leaders and the problems in-
THE MEXICAN VOICE
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PETER ORTIE
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volved. In the upper, middle, and intellectual circles, one sei dom hears. Cardenas praised except faintly or with solemn reservation. But if you hear the peasant, the Indians, the workers, you will see that he is loved and followed a^Lhey would follow an apostle, ma they should, *fof no one before him has had the initiative of establishing a definite program of reconstruction and welfare, not for the sake of the few but for the sake of the cour try in general. Schools, many of them, roads, electric plants, dams, canals, are being built all over Mexico. Education is encouraged and superstition eradicated as much as possible. Churches a?*e oren and clergyjien allowed to rjnistur above the legal quota, as a demonstration of the domocratic Ideals.. Mls-tnkes he hg.s made, but he has s.' own his willingness to correct h.v-self whenever the people have not quite understood the high mobjves behind his resolutions.
When we want to emphasize laziness we very frequently take a Mexican as a symbol and call Mexico tha land of Mañana. I think we are right, but the meaning I give the word is very dif ferqnt frow the unfriendly one. To me,. Mexico is the land of tomorrow because I think it is the land that still yields honey and milk---which in this case is gal
silver, oil, and an immensely rich^soil.
As in the old tines people would say "(lo west, yoi ng man," I would not hesitate to tell any young 1 an w? th courageous spirit "Go. south, young ran," with the knowledge that the blessed country' south of us is really the Promising Land of Tomorrow.