Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-24


N will the United States, the
/ new president taking office
on December ] of the same
year. however, instead OF waiting -
til the following March. Perhaps 1t
is because the actual inauguration is
closer, or perhaps for other reasons
but, whatever it is, the Mexican cleo
toral campaign is already on, with
nearly a year to so.
Under the Mexican constitution OF
1927, candidates must resign any Of
fees they hold one full year before
they stand for election to new posts
and as the Mexican election is on the
first Sunday in July, 1928, not only
the presidential candidates, but most
Of their henchmen are now out OF
office, so that if anything is directly
TO blame for the early start of cleo
ton activity, it is probably only the
constitution rather than individual
choice. Another constitutional provl-
sion tending to keep the pot boiling
is that candidates for Office must re-
side within the borders of Mexico for
that same full year before the cleo
ton. The whole political situation is
OF course aggravated by the fact that
it Is the great issue Of the choice OF
a President that looms before the
lively Mexican public next July.
There are three candidates in the
field, all popular generals and all as
engrossed in the campaign as II the
election were only a few weeks in
stead Of IL months away. The cam
didates are Gen. Arnulfo r. Gomez,
who has the support of the Clerical
and an important wing of the Anti-Re.
electionist party: Gen. Francisco Ser
rano, who, when he first appeared,
was supposed to be stalking horse
for Gen. Obregon. and Gen. Alvaro
Obregon, former President of Mexico
and the only ruler of that country
since the revolution who completed
his elected term.
Campaign Is On.
The political battle is already
growing very warm, and friends OF
Mexico, both there and in Washing
ton, are seriously concerned over the
outcome. Predictions are freely made
that there will be a pitched battle be-
fore the first of the coming year, q
prediction which has been made, how
ever, a good many times before when
nothing happened-and also a good
many times when something did hap
pen. There is no question but that
the Campaign" is a lively one, and
that bad blood is being stirred up.
The newspapers from Mexico CITY
are filed with election talk, and the
Obregon announcements in particular
are bitterly personal.
Indeed, there is a very personal
BACKGROUND for the whole campaign,
and the issues are still pretty mucn
of men. and not of principles, as has
been the history of Mexico for many
political generations. First, word
about Gen. Gomez.
For many years the career OF this
active and popular army officer has
been watched with interest both In
Mexico and here. He has been the
commandment of Vera Cruz, the chief
port OF the country, and has ruleo
there with strength and much WIS
dom. He has had the support OF the
Clerical party and of the Independent
Conservatives, as far as they have any
voice in Mexican affairs, and mas
what is perhaps more important-en'
loved an immense and lasting popu.
Iarity with the officers and men or
his commands and of the army IN
general. Many times. rumor mas
said, President Gales has wanted 70
remove him from the army or at least
from his important commands, but
has never dared to face the dls-
Measure of Gen. Gomez's friends In
the army.
Not Official Candidate.
There is no question. however, put
that he is not the official candidate
for president. The story Is tolo ina.
on the occasion Of recent WISH OF
+ha warships of an American admiral
IN Vera Cruz Gen. Gomez had 10 re-
turn the salute of the ships WITH
rife fire because there was no am
nornition for the cannon-it had oeen
carried off to- Mexico City.
The candidacy of Gen. Serrano is
not so clear in the public mind, Tor
the understanding had been that ne
would announce his candidacy ana
then would retire when Gen. Obregon
entered the lists. Instead or thls'
when the Obregon manifesto" was
issued few weeks ago Serrano re-
nlied with a broadside, in which the
Obregon arguments were rlddied' ana
Serrano's candidacy for the presl-
dencv of Mexico became an unoenlapie
fact. The truth of the situation IS that
Gen. Serrano, having been Gen. Oore-
ton's chief of staff and later his minis
dencv, the public assumed that he was
merely keeping the seat on the candl'
dates bench warm for his chief. Act
uallv. it is now reported, Gen. Obregon
had urged Gen. Serrano to run and hao
Oromised to support him, ana IL was,
10 the "Serranistas," in the nature OF
dislovalty for the former president
IN turn his back upon that reputeo
nronnise of support and to run himseh.
Serrano. 1t may be added, also has the
sYfnnort of certain of the leaders OF
The Anti-Re -electionist group and Is al
most. il not fully, as popular with the
army as is Gen Gomez.
OF great political interest in WASH
ington Just now is the fact that zen:
Sarra no fwho had been Governor OF
the Federal District of Mexico until
his resignation to take part In the
canpaign) is understood to nave tne
support of Luis Z. Morones, the Mex.
ran minister of labor. INDUSTRY ana
commerce. Mr.. Morones Is now IN
washington, where he has peen the
very active Mexican delegate to the
s,,eetine of the Pan-American Fedora
zion of Labor. He has declined, slngly
.nd i'm groups. to answer all questions
nm Mexican politics to all members or
fba presS. so that he has not Deeh
onoted on the Mexican political situa-
+tor He is said to control, however,
some ], 100000 votes in Mexico through
,ba various labor organizations with
the &C, r. o. NJ" the Mexican Labor
Eederation, and this powerful support
is, rumor says. to De thrown to Gen;
Serrano. Again, however, it should
he noted that the election is IL months
awav. and many changes OF many
sorts can come in the political kaleido'
scope in IL months.
Obregon's Candidacy.
Gen. Alvaro Obregon became can
didate to succeed President Plutarco
Elias Gales whom Obregon hl1nseA
assisted to the presidency Wheh Ople'
lnnI N,irfIIR Of an