The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-09-22
KEEPING UP
With
THE NE WIS
BY LUDWELL DENNY


ington, for he may be the neXS
president south of the Rio Grande,s
The chief of the state of MeXicds
can make or break the large Amer+6
lean investments there, and the
new-found friendly relations be-y
tween the two governments.
Portes Gil is his name. He is
called a mystery man for two rea n
sons. He is almost unknown even
in Mexico, outside his home state,
and he is civilian. ~
Now there may DE no mystery.
about the sudden emergence III aayl
other country of a strong man wftds
is not a soldier, but even the moStb
casual reader of newspapers mustS
know that in MeXico's long period,
of revolution the power of thcy
presidency has swung from genetaE.
to general.
Though not always professional,
soldiers, these leaders of the past
have left their farms 10 lead cit-g
liens army to vindicste the revosS
lution-or for more selfish purposes
But the time came when a Mex Z
lean leader decided this military
succession must stop, hat thee
country must achieve constitutional /.
party government. That was Pres'- /.
dent Gales.
Gales made this decision under.
almost impossible conditions, Pres
ident-Elect Obregon had just beeni
murdered. After long nationals
stress. crowded with religious strues
and attempted military counter :
revolution and menaced by fric~
ton with the United Staes, Gales
had cleared the way for Obregon,a
Obregon was hailed at home and :
abroad as the hope of Mexico. And !
suddenly he was assassinated.
What to do? (.
MNEXICO quivered on the edge or
lNA another civil war The ones
recognized strong man remaining
was President Gales. He had thes
personal prestige and power to resi-
strain the jealous factions and gems,
erals. But constitutionally he was
barred from succeeding himself as.
president. L
In desperation it was decided to,
choose some friend of Gales to be-
designated by congress to hold go
flee as provisional president, nlHk
general elections could be held cons
stitutionally for Gales return to-
power. Meanwhile, Gales would re-s
main the unifying force behind the
interim government. 2
So Aaron Saenz, former minister.
of foreign affairs and present gov-s
ernor of the state of Nuevo Leon,
was slated for the position of provi-
sional president. Everything seemed
| settled in advance. -. :
Then unexpectedly Gales made
his great remuneration. He called
upon Mexico in her hour Of trial
and peril following Obregon's as-s
sassination to turn from the rule Of,
state by armies to that by the peo-l
pie. And to inspire the new democ-.
racy and make real his faith, he
pledged that he never again We V u
accept the presidency.
That is why the little known!
civilian Portes Gil may become the
next president.
For with Gales out, and With
Gales greater prestige from this
remuneration thrown against a mill
tary succession, there was sharp
shift in Mexican politics.
Aaron Saenz, friend of Obregep
and Gales, and but day before TIP
slated provisional president, NOW
has left Mexico City for semi-re
| tirement from national politics. bIe
sacrifices the chance to be proVi-
sional president in the hope he may
later be elected president for the
full term of six years. ~
That leaves the field clear-fot1
Portes Gil? A
THIS civilian Gill though a new-H
Il conner to national politics, hasa
had unusual experience as an ext
perience as an executive. For three.l
years he was governor of the state
Of Tamulipas. In Tamulipas is the,
great old port Tampico. with itss
labor troubles and friction betweefIs
native authorities and Americans
capital. In Tamulipas is the heag5.
of the land problem, the agrarian5
revolution. "A
President Gales began to watchA
this governor Of Tamulipas, whoa
was successful in administering all
state which was Mexico in minie 4,
ture. Then he elevated Gil to thG8
national cabinet as minister Of in-g
terror.
That is the most important cabi<a
net in Mexico because it handlesa
the relation of states to states andt
of the church to the nation. It-is'
the post in which Gales himself
received under Obregon his trainingt
for the presidency. ~ \.
There is Gil today. Any day hes
may be selected by congress to take
Office as provisional president on
Dec. l. VI
They call him a conservative radi4s
cal. AS test of his efficiency and
honesty in administering the land
law he broke up the family estate
of Saenz, his powerful political
friend. and distributed two-thirdss
of it to the poems. N
01SC