The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1921-02-25

y
still further, but cannot 90 too fast
Fifty thousand is the maximum at
this time.
Democratic methods of electing
boards of education is now in vogue
in Mexico under the new Govern
ment. Each public school is con-
trolled by a committee of three, of
which one member is elected by the
parents, one by the teachers, and
one by the municipalities. These
committees elect their district COM
mitees, and all the district COM
mittees in any State elect a State
Board of Education. The State
Board Of Education in turn elects
the Federal Council of Education,
with which the Federal Minister of
Education co-operates. The Min
lister of Education is appointed by
the President. The teachers and
pupils in each school now elect their
own principals and the teachers
elect the superintendent The APP
preparation for the National Univer-
sity is 25,000,000 pesos ($12,500,-
000) a year. The previous allow
ance was about 100000 pesos
(S1 ,250,000). Four new universe
ties will be opened and conducted
on the basis of service to the peo-
pie. Several workers colleges have
been opened. A large school is sup
ported by the Government and the
management is in the hands of the
Mexican Federation of Labor, which
appoints the teachers. Present at
the dedication of this school on
Sunday, January %, were members
of the cabinet and Governor Gasca
of the Federal District, as we'll as
DR.. Vasconceles. the dean of the
University of Mexico. Two new
chairs have been established in the
University of Mexico by the Min
lister of Education-the Department
of Socialism and the Department of
Co-operatives.
Socialists Have Strong Minority
The strength of the Socialist bloc
in the Mexican Chamber of Depu-
ties has grown so rapidly that from
a small representation of a few
years ago it is now near winning a
majority of the chamber and acquir-
ing full control in National affairs.
The Socialist movement has de-
veloped slowly but surely in the
States of Yucatan, Vera Cruz, So
nora, Tampico and Micoacan, and
its leaders are such uncompromising
Social Revolutionists as Felipe Car
rillo, president of the Socialist party
of Yucatan; Antonio Soto Cana,
the famous intellectual leader of the
Zapata movement and founder of
the Casa Obrera Mundial; Jose Ra-
miriz Garrido, another founder of
the Casa Mundial; Francisco Seto,
whose honor it is to have been put
more times in Jail and to have had
suspended more times than any
body's else in Mexico during the
days of Huerta and Carranza; Jose
Siruob, who organized the workers
of Guanajuato, and others.
Considering the frankly radical
attitude sof the Government and the
founding of this Socialist bloc, it is
not to be wondered at that the cap.
italist newspapers come out with
their front pages spotted with large
blotches of red ink and cry in
screaming headlines, Blood is slow
ly trickling over Mexico"
Judging by what has happened
recently, it is easy to see that the
merchants and manufacturers have
to do something in the style of the
M. & M. of the United States. The
hue and cry Of their press about
Bolshevik propaganda has collapsed
ridiculously before President De la
Huerata's statement to the press
that Bolsheviks, Socialists and
American business men were free
to come to Mexico as long as they
behave themselves, and that he
would eXpel every Bolshevik from
Mexico as soon as the newspapers
defined what Bolshevik is.
When such things are happening
why should not the papers ask for
the blood of the "agitators"-when
the Chief of Police sends out po-
licemen to see that no one inter-
feres with the strikers pickets, or
when General Gales sends out or
ders to the commanders that they
will be court martialed should they
interfere with any strike. When
States like Yucatan, Vera Cruz,
OOIOld anu LdCdISCdS pass
ard enforce a law that strikebreak-
ers cannot be used to break strikes,
is it any wonder that the employ
ers and haciendos organize a league
of resistance?
How long the present Govern
ment will keep up this work is
problematical. Not because of any
change of heart, but because Of the
fear of the Colossus of the North
1t makes known this fear openly
and publicly, directly and Indirect
ly. At every meeting of the work.
eTs they are cautioned that "Tia
Sam" (Uncle Sam will not stand
for any decent system or for any
decent treatment of the workers.
Press Created Wrong Impression
The tragic part of all this is that
the Labor and Socialist press of the
United States unwittingly took the
bait offered by the Associated Press
and became one of the agents in
creating a wrong impression about
the radicals and the laboring people,
to whom Mexico will look for aid
in the time of need, perhaps not far
away.
Mexico is entering upon an era
of her history which may realize
the visions and dreams of her
great men. Mexico, freed from
the age-long misery of her enslaved
and poverty-stricken masses, a
Mexico rejuvenated and regenerat-
ed, in which the humblest peon will
at last be able to live the life which
he should enjoy from the wealth of
his native heath. The understand