I see in the newspaper that Einstein has returned to Germany. His
criticism of the United States is quoted in the MEXICAN POST.
He abuses them after all their hospitality, he laughs at their
adulation. He says the men are the lapdogs of the women.... I suppose
the American man’s attitude towards woman is about as extreme in one
direction as the German’s attitude is extreme in another. As a woman
I can only say, “Thank God for the American man.” I suppose the word
‘Hausfrau’ is almost an international word. It describes a certain
type of woman, and it is a German type. The German man has made her
so. Einstein may well scoff at the position of woman in the States.
To him the chivalry of the American man is not easily understood. As
for American people’s enthusiasm over the Einstein theory, “which they
did not understand,” that is probably why they enthused, which they
otherwise might not.
This evening at five,--Mr. Malbran called for me, and drove me to the
Ministry of Finance, to keep our appointment with de la Huerta. The
familiar view of a busy Government office recalled Moscow. We passed
through two rooms in which people were waiting, and I waited only about
three minutes in a third room full of men. The realization that all
these people were waiting to see him made me rather anxious, but we
were shown in almost immediately to the Minister’s great big reposeful
room. We were joined by a young man, his English interpreter, and
all four of us sitting round in a circle, conversation began, rather
formally. The feeling was: “Well now you’re here, say something,”
and through an interpreter I am shy to begin. Mr. Malbran also makes
me nervous! This feeling of restraint, however, only lasted for a
few minutes. When we had acquitted ourselves of mutual compliments,
telling each other that we had heard so much about the other, and how
interested we were in meeting one another, I said that I had so many
things that I wanted to talk to him about, and so many questions I
wanted to ask. He replied in a most gracious manner, that I had but to
ask anything I liked, without reserve. So I broke the ice by asking
rather flippantly, why the Government didn’t make use of all the young
men who were selling bananas and mangoes in the streets, and put them
to work on making roads. I said there were such beautiful places to see
and so hard to get to. He took my question more seriously than I had
anticipated. He said that the economic position of the country had to
be straightened out first, and that meanwhile all the important things
were held up. “If only,” he said, “England would recognize us and help
to stabilize us, instead of creating this wall around us, we might get
out onto our feet.” I told him that his words sounded like an echo of
Moscow, and he said, “Russia is more fortunate than we, for she has her
recognition now and we have not.”
The subject of Russia just broke down any remaining formalities or
restraint. We were, as one might say, “off.” He asked me pointblank did
I think the majority in Russia were better off since the new system. I
looked at Mr. Malbran, the polished diplomat, who was following this
discussion with attention. “At the risk of Mr. Malbran thinking me a
Bolshevik, (and we all laughed) I confess that in my humble opinion,
the majority are better off, that is to say, the working people have
more. They certainly have no less.”
“If those are your views,” de la Huerta said,“can you explain an
alleged interview with you, in a Mexican paper, in which you are quoted
as saying that, ‘Communism in Russia has completely broken down.’”
I denied having made any such statement, and not being able to read
Spanish, that was the first I had heard of it. He asked if I had heard
in Russia any opinions expressed about Mexico. I was sorry to have to
admit that I had not. No one at that time associated me in the least
with anything but England, and as I did not understand Russian, I lost
much that I might have learned from overhearing.
“And what do you think of Mexico, and of the present Government?” he
asked. I said rather humbly, that it was perfectly bewildering, and
that I did not understand it. But I knew some of the details of their
labor laws which were extremely liberal, and I admired very much. “And
what do you think of the contrast between our palaces and our poor--?”
he asked me. I said I hadn’t seen many palaces....
“But you have anyway seen Pani’s, and Malbran’s!” he said laughing.
“Yes, but your climate is kind, and your poor do not look so wretched,
as for instance in England.”
“Come with me some day ... I will show you,” he offered.
I said that anything he could show me would be greatly appreciated. He
promised to snatch an hour or two next Thursday at three. “And when you
have seen some of the misery of these people, you will wonder why some
of us have not given our lives to ameliorate their lot.”