The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1921-11-28
MEXICO ADVANCES
UNDER OBREGON
sun Is BREAKING THROUGH
CLOUDS IN REVOLUTION TORN
REPUBLIC TO THE SOUTH.

Mexico City, Nov 27-The first year
of General Alvaro Obregon's admin
istration as President of Mexico
which ends November 80, has been
one essentially of reconstruction and
reorganization. He became the head
of a republic torn and worn by revo-
luton, split by factional strife, it's
finances a wreck and its rehabilita-
ton an almost superhuman task.
A new cabinet post, Secretary of
Education, has been added during the
year and its head, Jose VasconcelOs,
has been promised adequate financial
means to carry out an ambitious
program of education which, Presi-
dent Obregon says is the nations
greatest problem.
The federal-owned railroads have
been completely reorganized in the
managerial departments and some
progress is being made toward their
rehabilitation. Rolling stock has
been acquired and an alarming port
congestion which threatened bank
ruptcy to many interior merchants
who were unable to obtain shipments
of goods, has been appreciably re-
lieved.
The agrarian still vexes, although
the administration claims that its
program in regard to lands is on the
road to completion. Under the direc-
ton of the National Agrarian Com
mission, several hundred thousand
acres of land have been appropriated
from the large haciendas and deliver
ed to the peasants. Protests have
flowed into government offices here
and charges of bald confiscatiOn have
been openly made
The Obregon government has been
charged with trend toward redical-
ism. Various state governments,
notably those of Vera Cruz and
Puebla, have enacted laws that are
regarded here as radical and pleas
for federal Intervention to-. prevent
their enforcement have been met with
the official statement that the chief
executive will not encroach upon the
sovereignty of the states. There are
frequent sanguinary clashes In the
states Of Yucatan and Michoacan be-
tween radicals and conservatives with
the former still retaining their power.
The War Department announces
that progress is being made In the
reduction of the federal army to 50,-
900 men, entailing the dismissal of
many score of generals and other
high officials The dismissed SOL
diers are being given an opportunity
to colonize.
President Obregon has been unable
to secure recognition of his govern
ment by the United States, Great
Britain and France. To many OBJ
servers, this failure is the greatest
deterrent to stability and prosperity
now confronting the chief executive.
The United States has said that the
Mexican president must sign treaty
of amity and commerce as prior
act to recognition and this President
Obregon has steadfastly declined to
do. asserting such action would be
neither legal nor within the dignity
or pride of the nation. A deadlock
on recognition now exists.
The financial rehabilitation of
Mexico is still subject of study and
the only definite information on that
subject is the official assurance that
The government wishes to arrange it's
debts.
Claims against the government for
damages suffered by foreigners DUR
in revolutionary periods are to be
treated by a mixed claims commits
sion, according to President Obre-
5oH SuSSco'ioH' ouI ehuo i"i 'noi 2
Is no intimation that such a COM
mission has been established
year, then, of Obregon finds a
nation more united and outwardly
peaceful than in years; still strug-
Cling to arrange it's finances but
by lack of recognition
by three great powers; a nation
making some progress along the lines
If reconstruction and reorganization.
President Obregon, enjoying better
health today than he did year ago, is
optimistic and says that the sun is
slowly but surely breaking through
he clouds.