MEXICO: Only a Chinaman

Nothing so grates on the ear of a sensitive Chinese as the epithet “Chinaman.” Last week that word rang through the Supreme Court of the United States of Mexico as two swarthy Mexicans stoutly protested that in killing one of the Chinese people they had not committed murder.

It was in 1932 that a Chinese named Jose Chong was robbed and murdered in Sinaloa State by Defendants Teodoro Romero and Paolo Cavada. Convicted, they have been fighting their case through higher and higher courts ever since, on the contention that a Chinaman is not a man in the true Mexican sense.

“Since it was only a Chinaman we do not think our crime was murder,” pleaded Defendant Romero last week. “It was not even homicide,” cried Defendant Cavada. “Only a Chinaman!”

After hearing the defendants out, Mexico’s Supreme Court rejected their appeal, confirmed the sentences of the lower court.

Japanese proudly recall that their Navy’s habit of “visiting” Mexican waters has resulted in Mexicans now rating Japanese as at least their equals and far above “Chinamen.”