Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-01-03
HUERTA FOLLOWERS
PROTEST j. s. PLAN
To SELL MUNITIONS
BY David Lawrence
(Leased Wire Service to The Journal.)
Copyright, 1929

Copyright, 1929
WASHINGTON, Jan. 1.-Decision
of the United States government
to sell munitions to the Obre-
gon government in Mexico means
more than the mere help of war
materials. 1t carries an expression
of moral support, which may have
far-reaching consequences IN Cen
trail and South America.
Although on the surface it would
appear that there is contradiction
between the policy of the late Presi-
dent Harding in refusing to supply
government war munitions to other
countries, the decision of the Cool
idge administration is really in con.
formity with the Harding principle.
Mr.. Harding did not wish to use
war supplies stored by the American
government to encourage warfare.
Probably Mr.. Coolidge would feel the
same way if the supplies were to be
Used as between two warning ma
tions. both oe which were on terms
of peace with the United States, but
the expectation of supplies to rec
ognized government to enable 1t to
squelch rebellion and maintain order
within it's gates is different prop.
osition.
For several months there has been
an interesting discussion going on in
the various foreign offices of the
world, and also in Geneva at the
League of Nations with respect to
the control of the sale Of war sup
plies. The United States has refused
to become a party to the proposed,
treaty largely because of an unWlll-
ingness to tie its own hands with
respect to the situation in Central
and South America.
The smaller countries south Of the
Rio Grande do not have large
arsenals nor have they the necessary
resources with which to make arms
in an emergency. The American
government feels that it should al
ways be free to supply them with
whatever they may need in the way
of war material. The decision of the
American government itself to do
the selling marks radical departure
. in previous policy, however, in an
other respect.
Heretofore all the traffic in arms
has been carried on by private man
ufacturers and it has been charged
at various times that these manu-
facturers were themselves instru-
mental in fomenting revolt or at
least in tanning the flames when
once the fires of revolution were
kindled. BY taking into its own hands
the sale of munitions. the Washing
ton government is able to maintain
control of the situation and keep
private interests from becoming en-
tangled in delicate problem.
Possible Danger Seen
While the biggest value to the
Obregon administration in the epi-
sode is not the readiness of the
American government to supply
arms but it's public announcement
of sympathy with the existing gov
eminent in Mexico City, the decision
is not without it's dangers. The De
La Huerta faction is known to be
much more conservative than the
Obregon element. Up to this mo-
meut. American business interests
have not been involved in any sense
as between De La Huerta and Obre-
gon, the position being taken that
both groups were friendly to the
American investor and business man.
Now. however. it would not be sur
prising if the de la Huerta faction
charged the Obregon administration
with being the tool of the Washing.
ton government and if an anti
American campaign were waged by
The de Ia Huerta group. That is al
weys one of the arguments used
In Mexican politics.
There is no doubt, however, that
. when all is said and done the moral
and material support of the United
States government is sufficient to
gquelch rebellion in Mexico if the
Obregon administration makes no
serious blunders. In reality the de.
cision to sell arms to the Obregon
administration is a timely effort to
bolster UP the Obregon administra-
ton and keep Mexico from going
back into the chaos of previous
years.
GENERAL AND 1000 MEN
JOIN Revolutionary FORCES
II BROWNSVILLE, Texas, Dec. 81.
! Dispatches sent out this morning by
Vera Cruz claim that General Lin
doro Hernandez and Lieutenant Colo
mel Trinidad Del Rio, operating in
the state of Puebla. have joined the
revolution with 1000 men.
Confirmation was received here
! from Vera Cruz sources that Cen
Lazaro Cardenas, commanding fed
eral troops advancing toward Guada-
lajara was defeated and captured sew
eral days ago near Zacoalco, Jalisco.
General Pa'tlino Navarro, second in
command, was among the dead.
Telephone reports today from
American army officers at Fort Ring
gold brought reports of fighting be-
tween Mexican federal and rebel
troops at Camargo, on the Rio
Grande, forty miles above Mato-
moros. The towr IS garrisoned by
small detachment of federal troops
from Nlatomoros. No report on the
results OF the battle were obtained
at noon, but American military Off,
GERS state that the firing which
started before daylight was very
heavy.
Grief Over Wife's
Death Blamed for