Evening star., 1927-10-17
Mexico Held to Be Gaining
Stability Through Experience

Mexico's prediction hostilities have
been watched with grave concern in
this country from the start, but the
success of President Gales, with the
aid of the American arms embargo, in
applying iron-handed suppression to
revolution convinces most of the
American newspapers that the present
government can control the situation
and prevent recurrence of prolonged
civil war. Even though it is conceded
that the country below the Rio Grande
still may be a long way from real
democracy, at least it Is believed that
recent events will make armed oppo-
sition to the government a less popu-
lar pastime.
Evidence that the government Of
Mexico is at last so firmly on its feet
that the opposition resorts to violence
at an improbable risk" impresses
the Dayton Daily News, which de-
clares 1.-The government of Mexico is
displaying a force and stability such
as few have conceded to it," The
Bluefield Telegraph contends that
persons at all familiar with the Mex
lean way of doing things would know
that President Gales had no choice
but to proceed against them with all
the revolters would be able to succeed
in their attempt to overthrow the
government and create for long time
another reign of disorder"
The Chattanooga Times emphasizes
the fact that ''the promptness and
vigor with which President Gales
dealt with the rebels, together with
the apparent inclination of all but a
few of the federal troops to remain
loyal to the government, will no doubt
make other potential revolutionary
leaders think twice before taking the
field in armed opposition to the con-
stituted authority of the country"
* v \ X
"Mexico has made much progress
politically" as viewed by the Asbury
Park Press, when even the forms of
constitutional government are OBJ
served. 1t is to be remembered also
that Gales and Obregon have both
shown themselves strong men as well
as constitutional rulers, that Mexico
needs strong men at the helm, and
on the whole they are an immense
improvement over the statesmen who
preceded them" The Waterloo Trib-
une also sees an improvement, add
ing: "It comes slowly. Another gen.
Grafton and they may have peaceful
elections and fair counting of the bal
lots. Mexico has reformed so far that
president can hold office for only
four years. This provision was placed
in the constitution to prevent a gov
ernment from maintaining itself in
Office by the power of the army and by
counting the ballots ITSELF"
OF the existing Mexican govern
ment the Des Moines Tribune-Capital
says: "Its record includes some blum
ders. But it has not sold out Mexico.
That has been the too common blum
der of some of it's predecessor govern
ments." The Oklahoma City Times,
however, asserts that in view Of the
recent conflict "the experiment of
democracy has failed again below the
Rio Grande," and the Philadelphia
Evening Bulletin holds that 1.-The
Gales administration cannot escape a
large part of responsibility for the
fact that, however unjustiflable armed
revolt against it is, the country four
years later is still divided, distracted
and unfit for the normal functions Of
constitutional government"
For the failure of the revolt the
Fort Worth Star-Telegram states that
"Mr. Gales can thank the forbearance
of the United States. If this country
had removed the embargo on arms"
continues that paper, "as it might
reasonably have done at any time
during the diplomatic impasse which
has arisen over the land-law dispute,
the rebels would have been better pre-
pared and likely would have succeeded |
in turning out Gales in short order"
The Nashville Banner thinks "the sit |
uation seems to be Gales against the
people of Mexico" and adds: "Calles
assumes to know better than the peo-
pie what they want or what Is best
for them. Perhaps he is right. His
course, however, is irregular. 1t |
might be better to have chaos for q |
while than. despotic rule"