Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-18
ELECTION UNREST
REPEATS IN MEXICO
Carranza Accused of GUS
ing" Presidential Office, as
Was Porfirio Diaz.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Oh the trouble that started the pres
ent era Of revolution ten years ago.
After a reign Of three decades of
peace under Porfirio Diaz. the latter
| assumed to use his presidential Office
in the elections Of June. 1910, to de-
feat Francisco Madero. and the coun-
try took up arms and drove out the
dictator. Now, after five years of
painful reconstruction under Venus
tiano Carranza, the presidential cleo
tons are again scheduled. and this
time the supporters of Gen. Alvaro
Obregon. one of the principal candi-
dates and hero of the revolution,
are outspoken in their charges that
President CarranZa Is manipulating
the machinery of the government in
the interest of lgnacio Bonillas. his
candidate.
The secession OF Sonora-Gen. Obre-
CONS home state-from the Mexican
volt, though not necessarily conclusive
evidence that civil war and bloodshed
Will follow. The people in Mexico
don't want another era of destruc-
ton, and the effort to conduct a fair
election will be supported by all the
business elements as well as the in
nuential citizenry who are not under
the thumb of any of the government
officials or candidates.
Driven to Extremes.
The realization that the cards have
been stacked against Obregon has
driven his supporters to extremes
Stories of high-handed tactics in
suppressing electoral freedom have
reached here and done no end of dam
age to Mexico. for there is always
party in our National Capital who
accept every cloud that hangs over
Mexico as justification for American
interference. Friends of Mexico have
not lost he pc that she will go. through
the election crisis without a revolu-
ton.
But from Mexico City itself come
advices that manifesto has been
issued to the nation. signed by forty
eight members of the house Of depu-
ties and sixteen members of the Next
can senate, bluntly charging Presi-
dent Carranza with having exceeded
his constitutional powers and with
having violated the constitutional
promises which induced the Mexican
people to take up arms and engage
in bloody civil war" This is all
the more resented because the orig
inal revolution of 1910, the principles
OF which the CarranZa regime has
protested to support. was waged with
the slogan. Effective suffrage-and
no reelection"
~Tnere follow series of reasons
for the movement in behalf of Obre-
ballot, the packing of state governor
ships. frregularity in the municipal
elections in Mexico City, conclave of
governors presumably to forward the
desires Of President Carranza in han
ding the election machinery. the re-
sort by the executive to methods of
coercion. including the arrest of
partinans of Obregon. imprisoning
members of congress on trumped-up
charges. and the attempt to entangle
Obregon himself in court proceedings
so as to incapacitate him in the
electoral struggle"
Must Accept Responsibility for Act.
The manifesto. which was drawn
up in the green room Of the chamber
Of deputies, closes with a warning
that the responsibility for the evils
that may grow out of the present
situation will rest solely upon Presf-
dent Carranza and his associates.
Meanwhile the Washington govern
ment is keeping a Yatchful eye on
events below the Rio GrAnde, and an
ticipates trouble along the interna-
tional line if Chihuahua, which has
always been a hot-bed of revolt.
should decide to accompany the state
of Sonora in the secession movement,
Naturally. the Carranza government
wants to transport troops through
American territory SO as to reach into
the northern states OF Mexico from
the American border states, but
there is little doubt of what the de-
cision of the United States govern
ment will be. The American govern
ment has had it's fingers burned by
allowing Mexican troops to cross
through American states. the raid on
Columbus. n. NJ, by Villa being at
tributed to resentment produced by
rama government through permits
sion to use the American railways
for military movements. Subsequent
to that occurrence the Washington
government incurred the resentment
of the rebels and very little gratitude
from the CarranZa government.
Indeed. the Washington govern
ment's troubles with the Carranza
regime have multiplied since then, so
that what is purely a matter of dis
erection with the executive depart
ments here WILL in all probability, be
ton government will endeavor to en-
force strict neutrality on the border
as between all factions.
No Preference in o. 8.
So far as can be ascertained. there
is no leaning here toward any of
the candidates. and the Washington
government knows that to advocate
the man it likes would only help
to defeat such a candidate. To be
not a good asset for a Mexican can
didate in these days of intense ma
tionalism in Mexico, so that, even II
the American government had pref
erence. it never would be indiscreet
enough to express it.
Broadly speaking. however. former
Ambassador Bonillas. who is supposed
to be President Carranza's candidate.
is better known than any of the other
candidates. because of his residence
here, though Gen. Oregon has made
a good impression upon officials dur
ing his visits to Washington. while
Gen. Gonzales. another candidate. won
admiration because he was frankly
pro-ally throughout the war and
urged Mexico to enter the European
war after the United States had be-
come a belligerent.
Neutrality in word and deed. how
ever. seems to be our government
watchword.