The Cordova daily times., 1923-04-11
VERA CRUZ REDS DEFY GOVT. IN
 Rl0TPARADES

Premier Lenine of Soviet Russia ant Heron Proal, Guatemalan, are tht two antagonists of Bolshevism mos revered in this city, an acknowledged hot bed of radicalism and red activ ity in the republic of Mexico. Proal is an agitator who is now in jail here awaiting trial, charged with melting riot and rebellion against Fedora forces some six months ago. He is hailed as martyr, and from his prison cell continues to direct his ex tremist campaign, which includes oper revolt against governm ment as minor proposition.
 Radicalism in it's raw state may be seen here every night when paraders varying in number from 300 to 3,00( march through the streets, singing revolutionary songs, jeering at spec tators on the sidewalk, yelling for Len inc, Trotzky and Proal, and in gen eral defying either city or state gov ernment to halt them. All traffic is stopped and for at least an hour each night downtown Vera Cruz is turned over to the Bolshevists
 The nightly parade is a showy and spectacular thing. Far down the street the marchers are heard com ing, band blaring, voices raised in song. They round the corner and one sees on expanse of flaming banners all of them solid red and bearing leg ends of adherence to Bolshevism and extolling Lenine and Proal. Men, wo men and children join in carrying the banners, and at regular intervals the music ceases to permit the captains tc lead their cohorts in loud "vivas" for things radical.
 By day, the evidences of Bolshevism are only slightly less marked. A ride through Vera Cruz discloses hundreds of houses bedecked with red flags The pictures of Lenine and Proal in red frames and encircled by flaming banners are often found above the doors. Many enthusiasts have painted the entire house in red. For the most part these decorations indicate that the inmates belong to the Tenants Union" which several months ago de cided that no rents would be paid il view of the fact that the landlords re fused to reduce them to a figure ac ceptable to the union. It is said that there are at least 5000 members of the union here who have paid no rent fol months. The question has beer checked up to President Obregon who has indicated that he is not sympa thetic with the tenants.
 Every branch of the working clas; represented in this city is unionized A former stevedore is now mayor O Vera Cruz. The stevedores are thu strongest, and recently succeeded il tying up port activities by strike, caus l ing immense losses to the city. Strike and boycott are constant threats here Demands are made of merchants an' industries and if they are not met, n matter how unreasonable, labor re fuses to work or buy. Numerous em ployers have closed down shop and according to a statement made to tn correspondent by reliable source Vera Cruz business has decreased 4 per cent within the past year.
 To meet the situation the merchant of the city are attempting counter ol ganization. An effort is being mad to secure the signature of APO bushes men to protective agreement. Unde the plan, if exorbitant demands ar made on any member and strike o boycott is threatened all of the affil1 ated members would close their place of business. It is recognized that tn only way this agreement could b. made effective is to secure 100 pc cent adhesion.
 | u IS dA OpCA oCSlOC eAAAS SAAS oAS' government of Vera Cruz and the stat government at Jalapa are not decid edly antagonistic to radical act1vlt. in this port city. The one big checl against wholesale aggression is tn Federal government which is alway ready to stop untoward events. l was clash between the radicals ant Federal soldiers that landed Herol Proal in jail, although many person here feel that his work is more e1 fective now than it was before his al rest. He has even syndicalized tn prisoners and on a recent nationa holiday succeeded in staging a cele bration, aided by smuggled liquor that almost ended in jail delivery.