Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-05-18
HELP FOR SCHOOLS
is MEX|CO'S NEED
M. Z. General Conference Hears
From Bishop Mcconnell OF
Conditions There.
special Correspondence OF Every Evening

DE MONIES, Ia, May 10.
Bishop Francis J. Mcconnell, who has
hecn In charge of the work OF the hletho-
dist Episcopal Church in Mexico Tor the
past eight years, addressed the General
aonference here on the present conditions
IN that country. He has Just recently re-
turned from an extensive visit to Mexico
and ON account of his first-hand knowledge
az the situation and the present critical
condition of affairs In Mexico, was listen
cd To with great interest tic SAID IN part:
During the past four years the general
situation in Mexico has notably improved
The revolution was carried through by the
leadership of Carranza and Obrcgon and
has hccn successful in a sense OF establish
lng the main principles for which the
revolution was started. Apart from the
handitrv in the hill regions, conditions are
fairly stable The paper currency which
was issued in such large quantities during
the early wears of Carranza 5 leadership,
has bccn retired. the problem of unem-
ployment has been handled with unusual
succcss. a beginning even at redlstrlbu-
tion Of land has been made.
The overthrow of Carranza has Dcen
due chiefly to personal reasons. lie has
moi bcen able to make those personal ad-
uIstmcnts which would hold the loyalty oil
hls followers 0brcgon and Gonzales
have bccn aS devoted 10 revolutionary
principles as has Carranza. he defeat oil
tarranza is not the defeat OF the revolu-
ton. Obrcgon i not rcactionary, or at
hast has not shown reactIonary tehuch-
cics vet. What the future will he no one
,an tell, but it is hardly likely that the
pcoplc will JOIN IN much fighting II IS en-
in,,racinr to note that the new holders OF
power are proicsslVely lrlenaIy 70 'hS
United states
Throughout the last four years the
pconlr of the United States have, VIC arc
convinced. been friendly with the people
III Mexico. Many events have occurred
~ trv the patience of the people north oi
,bc Rlo Grande hut the blame Is not all
Il, the south OF the line Ii Americans
f4ayr been abused IN Mexico, McxiCans
aav, been abused in the United states.
W, must not forget that there Is m our
country u mllitarstIc element not irlcndIN
to tho idea OF invasion OF Mexico. Nor
must we forget that commercial com
p3nlcs Of the nlted States dong business
IN Mexico, whilc they for the most part
4is,,voW MI purpose Of armed intervention
II, NIexico. nevertheless advocate meas
.r,.~ which. if carried out, can only result
tu armed intervention. For example, an
.I,rtl az i United States company at
vark near rampico recently testified nc
trr the | rltcd states Senate lnvoStlgat-
.uc committee that nobody is calling for
armed Intervention. Later the same WIT
,c-s advocated the breaking Of relations
between tho United States and Mexico,
-b,, Sgpport bv Americans of plans TO
,Vcrthrow Carranza, tho blockade ot
Mexican ports Ily the United States
navy. Asked II this would not finally
cad To the use Of strong arm N Mexico
If,cli. presumably by the nltcd states,
thc reply was that the witness supposed 50.
In the same connection It was brought
ont bv the Senate commission that a
publicity agent, with salary q >Z0uoO
lcar. Is definitely assigned TN the com
tncr,Ial company to the task ol seeing
tpat the situations in AIcNIro arc properly
featured In the | nltcd states press.
1T is perfectly possible for the | nltcd
states to conquer Mexico by force oi arms
~.ich conquest viii he much moro costly
,nan the vast majority Of rs imagine, tut
..ftcr eight wears If rather close familiarity
.Ith Mexico | do not believe that suf
tieicnt cause for intervention has ever vCt
appeared And il intervention finally
comes. i viii bring To Mexico nothing but
phv~lcal benefit better roads, better
sanitation. letter school buildings. The
abv~S hCiNccn the Angio->aNnn AMI tho
LATIN mind VIII bc dcrpcncd further Of
fart al Protestant advance will hc handl-
capped. suspicion of the trited States viii
ex;cnd clear to the TIP of ape Horn and
.agacv ol hate of the nIted states viii lie
Acqucathed to Mexico.
In spite Of qll difficulties. tie Methodist
work in Mexico has gone ahead wonder
flllv we'll The native workers took hold
of the Centenary with zest, the American
missionaries worked with Eedolbled cner-
~. 1t IS a qualification 10 be atlc 10 re-
port that on my last trip ! found Just
twicc Is many missionaries II work ~ the
t.cla a. when first went 10 Wor! IN Alc&co
Icarv eight years ago, and the increased
resources which the Centenary VIII send
INTO Mexico will, | am sure, he most wisely
landed It may not be well known that hl
cooperative agreement among the de
Nominations II work il Mexico a Schem,
IF division Of territory has been devised
md y being strictly adhered 10, \ union