New Britain herald., 1923-03-30

solid red and bearing legends of ad hercnce to bolshevism and extollinl Lenine and Proal, Men, women anC children join in carrying the banners and at regular intervals the musi, ceases to permit the captais to lcat their cohorts in loud 'viyas'' fol things radical.
 By day, the evidences of bolshevisn are only slightly less marked, A ride through Vera Cruz discloses hundred, of houses bedecked with red flags The pictures of Lenine and Proal ir rcd frames and encircled by flaming banners are often found above tho doors. Many enthusiasts have painted tho entire house in red. For the mos, part these decorations indicate thai the inmates belong to the Tenants Union" which several months ago de. cided that no rent would be paid in view of the fact that the landlords re. fused to reduce them to a figure ac- ceptablc to the union. It is said thai there are at least 5000 members of the union here who have paid no rent for. months. The question has been checked up to President Obregon who has indicated that he Is not sympa- thetic with the tenants
 Working Class Represented
 Every branch Of the working class represented in this city is unionized. A former stevedore is now mayor of Vera Cruz. The stcvedorcs are the strongest, and recently succeeded in tying up port activities by strike, caus- ing immense losses to the city. Strikes and boycott arc constant threats here. Demands are made of merchants and industries and if they are not met. no matter how unreasonable, labor re- fuses to work or buy. Numerous em- ployers have closed down shop and, according to statement made to the correspondent by q reliable source. Vera Cruz business has decreased 40 per cent within the past year.
 To meet the situation the mer- chants of the city are attempting counter organization. An effort is be- ing made to secure the signatures of 420 business men to protective agreement. Under the plan, if exor- bitant demands are made on any member and strike or boycott is threatened all of the affiliated mem- bers would close their places of busi- ness. It is recognized that the only way this agreement could be made ef- fective is to secure 100 per cent adhe- sion.
 City Not Antagonistic
 It is an open secret that the city government of Vera Cruz and the state government at Jalapa are not decid- edly antagonistic to radical activity in this port city. The one big check against wholesale aggression is the federal government which is always ready to stop untoward events. It was a clash between the radicals and fed eral soldiers that landed Heron Proal in jail, although many persons here feel that his work is more effective now than it was before his arrest. He has even syndicalized the prisoners and on recent national holiday suc- ceeded in staging celebration, aid ed by smuggled liquor, that almost ended in jail delivery.
 The newspaper Eli Dictamen," one of the oldest in the republic, has been with destruction many times and several weeks ago an at tempt was made to force the editor to suspend publication following clash with the governor of the state It is understood that hint from the national palace in Mexico City caused the governor to reconsider.