Chapter IX: The Constitutionalists in Paris

Although the diplomatic and financial battle for great loans of the Huerta régime was waged and lost in the United States, as a result of the attitude of the Wilson administration, Huerta was nevertheless enabled to make a loan in Wall Street, ostensibly to pay the interest on the Railroad Merger. The real battle for financial assistance, however, was fought in Paris.

The Parisian bankers were always favorably inclined to the existing governments of Mexico. Diaz had always been considered financially solvent, with Limantour at his side.

The French and English bankers, who had made fortunes on Mexican loans, always spoke with regret and almost pique at the overthrow of “the grand old man.” Foreign bankers not being by nature sentimental or radical, had no sympathy or understanding for the tremendous popular upheaval in Mexico. The whole great libertarian movement was quite misunderstood or ignored. The Huerta régime seemed like a reversion to the good old fat times under Limantour. Huerta exhibited all the ear-marks of the strong man on horseback. To the superficial bankers, the Mexican Caracalla was bound to stay and ask for more loans, and offer more profits.

In London, the press did not pay much attention to the Constitutionalists, as the English oil interests saw to it that stories were circulated about the bandits, cut-throats and robbers who were infesting Mexico under the excuse of fighting against the _de facto_ government.

As the English oil interests were closely connected with the English government, they having signed a contract to supply the British navy with oil, Huerta gladly gave all the concessions asked for, and confirmed the previous ones. Although the English oil interests denied in the press that they were involved in politics, certain facts came to the notice of the Constitutionalists in Paris, which proved the contrary. Dr. Atl, who was living in Paris, vouches for the data furnished.

Dr. Atl had been very friendly to Dr. Urrutia years ago, as the famous surgeon politician had saved his life. While Dr. Atl was in the hospital, he became intimate with General Huerta, and being a “compadre” to Dr. Urrutia, there were no secrets between them. After the assassination of Madero and Suarez, Dr. Urrutia bethought himself of the friendship and gratitude of his friend, and without much ado telegraphed Dr. Atl that one hundred and fifty thousand dollars were at his disposal at the Mexican legation in Paris: he was to use it to influence the French press. Although Dr. Atl was broke, as befits a sincere artist, he sent an answer which is not fit for publication, but which does credit to his patriotism and his integrity.

Dr. Atl discovered that in spite of the fact that he was considered almost a confrère among the French journalists, owing to the fact that he published an art paper in French, and wrote for most literary magazines and papers in Paris,--when it came to offering material on the subject of the Constitutionalist cause of Mexico, the pages of the periodicals were without exception closed to him. Finally reporters admitted to him that the English oil interests had been paying enormous sums of money, aggregating the sum of seven million francs. He was even pointed out an agent of the same oil interests, who had left to the editor of the paper the sum of one hundred and fifty thousand francs as a friendly reminder.

After the refusal of Dr. Atl to work for the Huerta régime, a brother of de la Barra took up the task. Not a word could slip into the French papers about the defeats of the Federals, and strenuous efforts were being made to finance a loan of one hundred and fifty million dollars for Huerta. Dr. Atl had heard that the loan would be effected within a week. In despair he walked from one office to the other and succeeded only in getting snubs and rebuffs. To make matters worse, it rained cats and dogs. Our peripatetic artist, soaking wet, tired and hungry, not having eaten a morsel of food for two days, was on the point of giving up the struggle, when he decided to try the only newspaper in Paris which was above venality, the socialist paper, _L’Humanité_. He presented himself at the office, and insisted on speaking to Monsieur Jaurès, who was the editor. The veteran socialist finally consented to see him. “I am not representing any financial interests,” spoke up Dr. Atl, “I am only a poor Mexican artist, who expects you to tell the truth about a matter of interest, not only to Mexico, but especially to French investors. Huerta is expected to wind up a loan of 750 million francs; I want to inform you that Carranza, Chief of the Constitutionalists, has communicated a letter to the press in the United States, and to us, that if the revolution is successful, the French loan to Huerta will not be recognized by the successful Constitutionalists. As I know that you are honest and do not want to see the French investors risk losing their money, I beg of you to publish the statement made by Carranza.”

Jaurès published the letter the next day. Mexican bonds went down ten points, and the loan fell through. Dr. Atl is now Director of the National Art School in Mexico City.