adventures and letters-第63节

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　busily　turning　out　copy；　and　I　asked　him　what　he　found　to　write　about。　　He　said；　〃Well；　maybe　I　see　things　you　fellows　don't　see。〃　　What　he　meant　was　that　what　was　old　to　us　was　new　to　him；　but　he　got　guyed　unmercifully。

April　27；　1914。

The　censor　reads　all　I　write；　and　so　do　some　half…dozen　Mexican　cable　clerks　and　60　（sixty）　correspondents。　　So　when　I　cable　〃love；〃　it　MEANS　devotion；　adoration；　and　worship；　loyalty；　fidelity　and　truth；　wanting　you；　needing　you；　unhappy　for　you。　　It　means　ALL　that。

RICHARD。


VERA　CRUZ；　April　30；　1914。

This　heathumid　and　moistwould　sweat　water　out　of　a　chilled　steel　safe；　so　imagine　what　it　does　to　me　with　all　the　awful　winter's　accumulation　of　fat。　　I　hate　to　say　it；　but　I　LIKE　these　Mexicansmuch　better　than　Cubans；　or　Central　Americans。　　They　are　human；　kindly；　it　is　only　the　politicians　and　bandits　like　Villa　who　give　them　a　bad　name。　　But；　though　they　ought　to　hate　us；　whenever　I　stop　to　ask　my　way　they　invite　me　to　come　in　and　have　〃coffee〃　and　say；　〃My　house　is　yours；　senor；〃　which　certainly　is　kind　after　people　have　taken　your　town　away　from　you　and　given　you　another　flag　and　knocked　your　head　off　if　you　did　not　salute　it。　　I　now　have　a　fine　room。　　The　Navy　moved　out　today　and　I　got　the　room　of　the　paymaster。　　It　faces　the　plaza　and　the　cathedral。　　I　burned　a　candle　there　today　for　our　soon　meeting。　　The　priests　all　had　run　away；　so　I　had　to　hunt　up　the　candle；　and　pay　the　money　into　the　box　marked　for　that　purpose；　but　the　Lord　does　not　run　away；　and　He　will　see　we　soon　meet。


May　2nd。

Yesterday　I　went　out　on　the　train　that　brings　in　refugees　and　saw　the　Mexicans。　　They　had　on　three　thousand　cartridges；　much　hair；　hats　as　high　as　church　steeples；　and　lots　of　dirt。　　The　Selig　Moving　Picture　folks　took　many　pictures　of　us　and　several　〃stills；〃　in　which　the　war　correspondent　was　shown　giving　cigarettes　to　the　brigands。　　Also；　I　had　a　wonderful　bath　in　the　ocean　off　the　aviation　camp。　　I　borrowed　a　suit　from　one　of　the　aviators；　and　splashed　and　swam　around　for　an　hour。　　My！　it　was　good。　　It　reminded　me　of　my　dear　Bessie；　because　the　last　time　I　was　in　the　ocean　was　with　her。

Maybe　you　know　what　is　going　on；　but　we　do　not。　　So　I　just　hustle　around　all　day　trying　to　find　news　as　I　did　when　I　was　a　reporter。　　It　is　hot　enough　here　even　for　me；　and　I　have　lost　about　eight　pounds　of　that　fat　I　laid　in　during　our　North　Pole　winter！

VFRA　CRUZ…May　8；　1914。

DEAR　CHAS。：

Today；　when　Wilson　ordered　Huerta　not　to　blockade　Tampico　which　was　an　insult　to　Mediators　and　the　act　of　a　bully　and　a　coward；　AND　a　declaration　of　war；　we　all　got　on　our　ponies　to　〃advance。〃　　Then　came　word　Huerta　would　not　blockade。　　It　is　like　living　in　a　mad　house。　　We　all　are　hoping　mediators　refuse　to　continue　negotiations。　　If　they　have　self　respect　that　is　what　they　will　do。　　Tonight　if　Wilson　and　Huerta　ran　for　President；　Huerta　would　get　all　our　votes。　　He　may　be　an　uneducated　Indian；　but　at　least　he　is　a　man。　　However；　that　makes　no　never　mind　so　far　as　to　my　getting　back。　　The　reason　I　cannot　return　is　because　I　have　〃credentials。〃　　It　is　not　that　they　want　ME　here；　but　they　want　my　credentials　here。　　The　administration　is　using；　as　I　see　it；　the　privilege　of　having　a　correspondent　at　the　front　as　a　club。　　It　says　until　war　is　declared　it　won't　issue　any　more。　　So　those　syndicates　who　have　no　correspondent　and　the　papers　forming　them；　are　afraid　to　attack　or　to　criticise　the　administration　for　fear　they　will　be　blacklisted。　　And　those　who　have　a　correspondent　with　his　three　thousand　dollar　signed　and　sealed　pass　in　his　pocket　aren't　taking　any　chance　on　losing　him。　　So；　I　see　before　me　an　endless　existence　in　Vera　Cruz。

RICHARD。


On　May　7　Richard　started　for　Mexico　City　where；　if　possible；　he　intended　to　interview　Huerta。　　At　Pasco　de　Macho　he　was　arrested；　but　afterward　was　allowed　to　proceed　to　Mexico　City。　　Here　he　was　again　arrested；　and　without　being　allowed　to　interview　Huerta　was　sent　back　the　day　after　his　arrival　to　Vera　Cruz。

Of　this　Vera　Cruz　experience　John　N。　Wheeler；　a　friend　of　Richard's　and　the　manager　of　the　syndicate　which　sent　him　to　Mexico；　wrote　the　following　after　my　brother's　death：

〃Richard　Harding　Davis　went　to　Vera　Cruz　for　a　newspaper　syndicate；　and　after　the　first　sharp　engagement　in　the　Mexican　seaport　there　was　nothing　for　the　correspondent　to　do　but　kill　time　on　that　barren；　low　lying　strip　of　Gulf　coast；　hemmed　in　on　all　sides　by　Mexicans　and　the　sea；　and　time　is　hard　to　kill　there。　　Yet　there　was　a　story　to　be　got；　but　it　required　nerve　to　go　after　it。

〃In　Mexico　City　was　Gen。　Huerta；　the　dictator　of　Mexico。　　If　a　newspaper　could　get　an　interview　with　him　it　would　be　a　‘scoop；'　but　the　work　was　inclined　to　be　dangerous　for　the　interviewer；　since　Americans　were　being　murdered　rather　profusely　in　Mexico　at　the　time　in　spite　of　the　astute　assurances　of　Mr。　Bryan；　and　no　matter　how　substantial　his　references　the　correspondent　was　likely　to　meet　some　temperamental　and　touchy　soldier　with　a　loaded　rifle　who　would　shoot　first　and　afterward　carry　his　papers　to　some　one　who　could　read　them。

〃One　of　the　newspapers　taking　the　stories　by　Mr。　Davis　from　the　syndicate　had　a　staff　man　at　Vera　Cruz　as　well；　and　thought　to　‘scoop'　the　country　by　sending　this　representative　to　see　Huerta；　in　this　way　‘beating'　even　the　other　subscribers　to　the　Davis　service。　　An　interview　in　Mexico　City　was　consequently　arranged　and　the　staff　man　was　cabled　and　asked　to　make　the　trip。　　He　promptly　cabled　his　refusal；　this　young　man　preferring　to　take　no　such　chances。　　It　was　then　suggested　that　Mr。　Davis　should　attempt　it。　　By　pulling　some　wires　at　Washington　it　was　arranged；　through　the　Brazilian　and　English　Ambassadors　at　the　Mexican　capital；　for

Mr。　Davis　to　interview　President　Huerta；　with　safe　conduct　（this　being　about　as　safe　as　nonskid　tires）　to　Mexico　City。　　Mr。　Davis　was　asked　if　he　would　make　the　trip。　　In　less　than　two　hours　back　came　this　laconic　cable：

〃‘Leaving　Mexico　City　to…morrow　afternoon　at　3　o'clock。'

〃That　was　Richard　Harding　Davisno　hesitancy；　no　vacillation。　　He　was　always　willing　to　go；　to　take　any　chance；　to　endure　discomfort　and　all　if　he　had　a　fighting　opportunity　to　get　the　news。　　The　public　now　knows　that　Davis　was　arrested　on　this　trip；　that　Huerta　refused　to　make　good　on　the　interview；　and　that　it　was　only　through　the　good　efforts　of　the　British　Ambassador　at　the　Mexican　capital　he　was　released。　　But　Davis　went。

〃There　was　an　echo　of　this　journey　to　the　Mexican　capital　several　months　later　after　the　conflict　in　Europe　had　been　raging　for　a　few　weeks。　　Lord　Kitchener　announced　at　one　stage　of　the　proceedings　he　would　permit　a　single　correspondent；　selected　and　indorsed　by　the　United　States　Government；　to　accompany　the　British　army　to　the　front。　　Of　course；　all　the　swarm　of　American　correspondents　in　London　at　the　time　were　eager　for　the　desirable　indorsement。　　Mr。　Davis　cabled　back　the　conditions　of　his　acceptance。　　Immediately　Secretary　of　State　Bryan　was　called　in　Washington　on　the　long…distance　telephone。

〃‘Lord　Kitchener　has　announced；'　the　Secretary　of　State　was　told；　‘that　he　will　accept　one　correspondent　with　the　British　troops　in　the　field；　if　he　is　indorsed　by　the　United　States　Government。　　Richard　Harding　Davis；　who　is　in　London；　represents　a　string　of　the　strongest　newspapers　in　the　United　States　for　this　syndicate；　and　we　desire　the　indorsement　of　the　State　Department　so　he　can　obtain　this　appointment。'

〃‘Mr。　　Davis　made　us　some　trouble　when　he　was　in　Mexico；'　answered　Mr。　Bryan。　　‘He　proceeded　to　the　Mexican　capital　without　our　consent　and　I　will　have　to　consider　the　matter　very　carefully　before　indorsing　him。　　His　Mexican　escapade　caused　us　some　diplomatic　efforts　and　embarrassment。'　　（What　the　Secretary　of　State　did　to　bring　about　Mr。　Davis's　release　on　the　occasion　of　his　Mexican　arrest　is　still　a　secret　of　the　Department。）

〃Mr。　Bryan　did　not　indorse　Mr。　Davis　finally；　which　was　well；　since　Lord　Kitchener　of　Khartum　kept　the　selected　list　of　correspondents　loafing　around　London　on　one　pretext　or　another　so　long　they　all　became　disgusted　and　went　without　an　official　pass　from　‘K。　of　K。'　　As　soon　as　Mr。　Davis　was　told　he　would　not　be　appointed　he　proceeded　to　Belgium　and　returned　some　of　the　most　thrilling　stories　written　on　this　conflict　at　great　personal　risk。〃


May　13；　1914。　MY　DEAREST　ONE：

DO　NOT　BLAME　me　for　this　long　delay　in　writing。　　God　knows　I　wanted　every　day　to　〃talk〃　to　you。　　But　we　were　on　the　〃suspect〃　list；　and　to　make　even　a　note　was　risky。　　The　way　I　did　it　was　to　exclaim　over　the　beauty　of　some　flower　or　tree；　and　then　ask　the　Mexican　nearest　me　to　write　the　name　of　it　HIMSELF　in　MY　notebook。　　Then　I　would　say；　〃In　English　that　would　be〃　and　I　would　pretend　to　write　beside　it　the　English　equivalent；　but　really　would　write　the　word　that　was　the　key　to　what　I　wished　to　remember。　　So；　you　see；　a　letter　at　that　rate　of　progress　was　impossible。　　It　was　a　case　of　〃Can't　get　away　to　cable　you　today；　police　won't　let　me！〃　　However；　we　are　all　safe　at　home　again。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　had　a　most　exciting　time；　and　am　dying　to　tell　you　the　〃insie〃　story。　　But　the　one　I　sent　the　papers　must　serve。