New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-08-01

"'r 3!scrctiona.' The government has
decided to hos. to the fine and pck UP
Tbs chip3 later.
The few army officers with whom
have had an opportunity to talk have
al bcca very busy with the task of
picking up these chips, and seemed to
be taking a real interest Y the lob. In
many instances it has ol cred an op-
portunity to Junior officers to work off
grudges against superiors, and the
War Department has not been slow to
take advantage Of the personal element
in Mexican military life.
New Methods in Army
The strange part of the whole affair
seems to be the obvious fact that the
pursuing troops are really pursuing 1t
has been customary in the past to send
out three or four hundred men to catch
twenty-five or thirty, but this is no
longer being dcre. When there are
twenty to be caught General Gales
sends out thirty to catch them.
There has also been noticeable i'm
provement in the cooperation between
detachments and in the assistance Of
fered by the inhabitants. They also
have a grudge to work Off against the
very men who have taken to collecting
directly. instead OF under cover of gov
ernment business.
Full advantage is being taken of this
in dealing with the problem.
1t is difficult in any country to elimi-
nate the personal element from poll
tics and political Apo. ntments, and
Mexico is no exception to the rule
The new government has been flooded
with letters of Recommendation, and it
is not uncommon to find that there has
been mutual interchange of such
letters.
Many of them have been obtained by
a ruse, and it is consi. cred probable
that there has been a certain amount
of dishonesty on the part Of some Of
the newer clements. The Mexican gov
eminent Offices, in fact, look very much
like Washington when the Democratic
party came back into power. There are
many observing revolutionists."
Censorship of Employees
This has resulted in the establish,
ment of q sort of censorship of let
tiers of recommendation. Confidential
men have been appointed to keep track
of men who have been elected in ono
department to see that they do uot
take some other branch of the govern
ment by surprise and get something
to which they are not entitled and
which they calslot use to the advan-
tage of the nation.
Some of the Cabinet ministers have
solved the problem by establishing q
few very tempting positions which in
volve real work and which quickly
cure the office seeker: and others, like
General Gales, have solved il by sim
ply kicking the applicants down the
ministerial stairs.
General Gales is not popular with
this class He is said to be too i'm
pulsive 1t is 'cloak room gossip here
that it is worth $4,000 pesos to be
seen walking down the street with
President de la Huerta. General Al
varado, Secretary of the Treasury, is
quoted at 10000, as is also General
Obregon. General Trevino is selling
at from 5000 to 5000 while General
Gales is being knocked down at about
$500, with few takers.
President de la Huerta has tried tc
do away with this inheritance from the
past regime and has been forced to
remain at home much more than he
might otherwise. Needless to say that
the Cabinet ministers are aware of this
situation and they are careful in Sc
lecting their walking companions.
Another indication of changed con.
dtions is to be found in the army pay
master, This post was worth 5000
pesos month during the Carranzs
regime and was eagerly sought for
To-day the same post is worth 500
pesos month and the Var Department
is finding difficulty in filling vacancies