Evening star., 1926-10-03
MEXICO'S ORATOR
INTENT ON VICTORY
Antonio Vargas, Editor, Here
to Aid International Ora
toriCaI Contest.

Antonio Vargas, director Of the
Mexican Oratorical Contest, is in
Washington to make preliminary ar
rangements on behalf of the Mexican
champion, Jose Munoz- Gotta, in con
nection with the International Ora
torical Contest, to be held in the
Washington Auditorium October 10.
Gotta will have a good chance to
win the International championship,
declared Mr.. Vargas, who was pres
ent when the other national cham
pions participated in a meeting last
week in the Mexican capital. He
has a very spirited speech on the
liberator Bolivar, and delivers it in
g. very dramatic and thrilling way.
His technique is different from
that of those who use English, but
It is effective, nevertheless, even be
fore English audiences. While in
Mexico City the international final
lists spoke before various groups.
President Gales and the secretary of
education, DR. J. NJ. Puig Cassaurance
being among those who heard them.
The American and English colonies in
Mexico also showed them special at
tention.
"The contest was participated in
enthusiastically by the secondary
school pupils throughout the repub-
lie. IN five states the governors
themselves gave prizes 10 the success
full contenders. and paid their travel
ing expenses to the national finals in
Mexico. The cooperation of DR.. Al
fonso Pruneda, rector Of the National
University. and of DIR. Prig CaSSauranC
was of great benefit to the project.
Our plan of operation was similar
TO that Of the National OratOrical Con-
test in the United States. We divided
the country into seven regions. All
of the states, except four very remote
ones, participated, and in most of the
states the participation was large. The
enthusiastic response of the pupils was
out of all proportion 10 what had been
expected The contest offered the first
opportunity that the young people OF
Mexico have had 70 make themselves
vocal on governmental themes, and
they made the most of it.
"Furt hermore, the contest served
as A stimulus to thinking about the
basic principles of government on the
part Of adults as we'll as adOleScents.
The interest in the contest was not
limited to the schools. In fact, 1t had
q IOllOWlnS III many NdIhS VI ne.
"At the outset ii was difficult to get
other newspapers to mention the con
test, but toward the last it received a
great deal of publicity.
Larger 1927 Contest.
I'VE have laid a foundation upon
which we can build an even larger
contest in 1927. The trip to Mexico
on the part of the international final
lists was fruitful of better under
Vtsndings and should result in friend =
ships which will he WorthWhile.'
Mr.. Vargas is one of the editors
OF Ell Universal, the great Mexico
City. daily which is the chief sponsor
for the contest in that country. He
will occupy a seat on the stage at
the finals of October Is.
In discussing the Mexican contest
he called attention to an entirely
unique method followed in the last
stages of the competition there.
Before the selection of a national
champion was made the national
flnalists were given only 10 minutes
warning as to which of three themes
they were to discuss eXtemporane-
ously. These three subjects We're:
Bolivar and the Latin American
Peoples, constitutional Govern
ment" and Youth and Government
They were rated on their combined