The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-05-13
MEXICO GETS UNF R|ENDLY COLD ~.
SHOULDER FROM united STATES
by CHESTER Nj. WRIGHT.
secretary, Pan-American Federation
of Labor

VI AdDOF,
What about Mexico?
HOW much longer is America 60
ing to stare across the border at
our neighbor Republic as if she
were a perfect stranger and a, dis
graceful one at hat?
Guatemala had a revolution about
three months ago. General Orellana
at the head of a military cabal.
staged a coup d'etat one night and
the next morning the duly consti-
tuted government wars in prison or
dead. Orellana then proceeded to
mold a typical old-time Latin.Ameri-
can election and get himself made
president. The American State De-
partment acted almost on the spur
OF the moment and extended recog-
milton to the new government.
Guatemala is a member of the
family of nations; a government that
came into being in anything but an
orderly course of events is recog-
n1zed almost before the cables have
finished telling the story.
That's one item in the present
discussion.
General Obregon came to the
presidency of Mexico in the fairest
election Mexico ever had. The le-
gitimacy of his administration is
absolute.
The friendliness of the Obregon
government o the United States is
attested by every act performed and
by every American who has been
IN Mexico since the election-that
Is by every American who isn't SUBJ
sldlzed by some special interest.
Public order in Mexico has been
better than art any time in the last
halt century. Some may say public
order was better when Diaz ruled.
Maybe it was as good on the surface.
But today it. is better all through.
because there is no suppressed, en-
shaved spirit under the surface.
There is a freedom of which Mexico
may be proud, a public conscious
ness that is growing constantly and
"a determination to overcome obsta-
cles that is inspiring.
1t is a fact that American oil in
terests, through a host of retainers,
have sought to shape the interna-
tional relations between the United
States and Mexico
The Oil interests have taken it
upon themselves to say what should
or should not be American policy
toward Mexico.
Men who apparently hold high
and independent place in American
affairs in reality speak according to
the views Of the oil interests. The
Oil propaganda machine. like the
hero in the popular parody to which
Mr.. Wilson recently called attention,
can rush. out, mount a number of
horses and ride away in all direc-
tons.
The American Association for the
protection of American Rights in
Mexico and the American Associa-
ton of Mexico are but two Of fam
lily Of organizations that seek to run
American policy. regarding Mexico.
The. oil interests ''catch 'em
young and pay them we'll, appar-
emily.
But the time has come for Ameri,
can just dealing to have a chance.
Z The time has come for the Amer
lean citizenship to assert itself.
g The time has come for an. end to
pickering and intrigue. -. :
There has been more than a sus-
picion that during the last admin
istration of Woodrow Wilson the
two countries were on the verge of
war and that a certain famous
cabinet explosion resulted from Will
sons discovery Of what was afoo..2
A year ago the American Fedora
ton of Labor: in convention. asked
for the recognition of Mexico, stat.
ing it's reasons clearly. ft &@i's-r :
A year has passed. Recognition
was overdue then. It is much more
than overdue now. Latin America
gauges the United States largely by
it's relations with it's nearest Latin
American neighbor. I'll :sa 2 Is. s< Il. Il.
It is profoundly to be hoped that
American recognition Of Mexico will
be extended at once and that real
international helpfulness may be the
Immediate result. /, .Ss s.#8s.