The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1921-02-25
REMARKABLE STORY or MEXICO:
TRUE STORY OF HER CONDITION
New Government viii Bring Peace Prosperity TO That
WarTOrn Land

continue the policy originated by
Provisional President De la Huerta.
General Plutarco Elias Gales, Sec
rotary of War under De la Huerta,
was made Secretary of State by
Oregon. This promotion of a man
who refused to let soldiers break
strikes and declared that the right
to strike is sacred, is significant.
Discussing Obregon's associates,
George b. Longan, news editor of
the Kansas City Star, remarked
"Calles is a strong man and be-
lieves in doing all he can for La
Dor"
Longan hopes, however, that
Gales will not allow his personal
views to influence the new Presi-
dent" apparently forgetting that
the new President himself named
Gales.
General Gales address to the del
egates Of the Pan-American Labor
Congress at banquet at San An
gel on January Is was a MASTER
piece in form, content and delivery.
He said in part:
Gentlemen, we are here to de-
stroy tradition. With the inaugu-
ration proceedings of the new Presi-
dent of the Republic as a motive,
there came to this country delega-
tons from the banks, from indus
tries, from commerce, as we'll as
prominent representative of for
eign governments, and these dele
cations were Toasted by the Gov
eminent, by the banks, by industry,
and by commerce, and were shown
every consideration These delega-
lions represented the live forces of
Capital. Now we have here the
workers who represent the Organ
lied Labor of the American CONT
nents, and the banks, industry. COM
merce and the live forces of Capital
have not paid any consideration to
these delegates. This delegation, in
my mind, represents the souls of
these countries, because it is the
proletariat of the world that has
the only soul Of the people. But
If the representative of Capital are
not with us on this occasion. the
Government-eminently a democra-
tic government, formed by men who
are sustaining a formidable fight
against the traditions and errors of
the past-supports and is with you
In this struggle which is of the
proletariat. This Congress has not
passed unnoticed by the Government
of Mexico. 1t has all it's sympa
thies, and just as the Government
received the capitalists it could in
no way antagonize this group of
fighters, which, with by far less
elements, comes to open up new
horizon for humanity. These re-
unions, gentlemen, in which the
workers of the continents meet to
exchange impressions, to take meas
ures that benefit humanity to find
ways to defend the weak from the
crimes of the powerful, must open
up the hearts of the people in these
continents to wide road, through
which will pass the future genera
lions full of love, and these genera.
tons, raised on solid foundations.
will be the future societies of the
world"
De la Huerata, Governor of So
nora, Provisional President before
Obregon and now Secretary of the
Treasury, is Kautzkian Socialist.
His most significant act during his
short term as President was the dis
trlbutlon of more than one-half mil
lion acres of land to the workers
and the creation of the Chamber of
Labor, composed of delegates elected
by the organizations of each indus
try, to run concurrently with the
political parliament and to advise
and consult with the Parliament on
all laws affecting Labor. One of
the last acts of De la Huerta as
President was to send to Congress
a bill providing for workmen's com
pensatlon. The measure provides
that 5000 pesos (S1500) shall be
paid completely disabled workmen.
and 5000 pesos ($1500) shall be paid
to the families of workmen who are
killed. For minor injuries a. scale
OF lndemnities is fixed
Former Shoemaker Is Governor
The appointment of Celestino
Gasca, former shoemaker and me-
chanlc, to the office of Governor of
the Federal District marks another
interesting step. Governor Gasca
has had hand in the settlement of
all strikes in that region, and in
varlably his influence has been used
TO obtain better wages and working
conditions for the workers. Those
workers who did not know Gasca
before have found in the recent
strikes that he is always with them.
and, as is to be expected, has won
the fierce hatred of the reactionarv
press and has been viciouslv at
tackled time and again. One of
Gasca's working-class project S
which he hopes to begin to trans
late into reality in the immediate
future, is the construction of model
homes in he outskirts of Mexico
City, to be owned by the Govern
ment and built for the workers.
Each house will accommodate sew
eral families. They will contain
sanitary baths and toilets, well-ven-
tllated rooms built around the typi-
cal Mexican patio or court in the
center, with flowers and a patch of
grass. The estimate of the build
ing of the first set of houses in
wolves an expenditure of five million
pesos ($2,500,0O0). On account of
financial difficulties under which
the Mexican Government always la
bors, its sources of revenue being,
few, the undertaking will have to
be worked out little by little.
In an interview with General Ser
rano, former speaker of the House
OF Representatives, he is quoted
as follows:
THE greatest danger to Mexico
has been militarism, therefore we
have reduced the army rapidly. In
August alone 900 generals and 9th
err officers received their discharges.
More than 100000 men were dis
charged. and those Mere giyen thni,.