Imperial Valley press., 1928-07-18
BY FRANK II. BARTHOLOMEW
Omitted Press Staff Correspondent

Los ANGELES, July IS The
assassination of General Alvaro
Obregon was accomplished at q mo
ment when the president-elect and
his friends We're sure that he was
we'll past the dangers attendant up.
on his election to the presidency of
Mexico on Sunday, July l.
This correspondent interviewed
Obregon at the headquarters of his
great ranch at Cajemc, Sonora, two
! days before the election, and again
at Mazatlan, Sinoloa. week after
4 he had been voted to the chief ex-
ecutivc office of the Southern Re-
public.
The veteran one-armed warrior of
Sonora was in high spirits on both
/ occasions.
At Cajemc, he was awaiting the
arrival of General Francisco Manzo,
chief of military operations for So
nora, who came down from the
north in his special car over the Sud
/ Pacifico to assume charge of Ohre-
CONS military guard while the elec-
tions were in progress.
Two-Fold Mission
Man2o'S mission was in effect
two-fold. He desired to be with
Obregon during the election, which
it was feared might be turbulent,
and also to consult with his chief
! regarding rumors current in the
/ United States that he-Manzo -
was to lead revolt of the Sonora
garrison.
These rumors were maHciously
! inspired, - Manzo told the United
Press. They were disseminated
/ by enemies Of the administration on
the eve Of the elections TO make it
appear that there was serious de
+ fection threatening among the Obre-
! gonistas.
The general himself was playing
! pool with several Americans in a
/ poolhall near his bank i'm Cajemc
4 when Manzo 5 train arrived He
kept up the game, which was an in
teresting spectacle as Lc manipu-
! lated his cue eXpcrtly with his one
arm, until Manzo and his staff a
( lighted from the private car and
/ hunted him up
] ! iiN d ~ l''A piif ANU iI'I lNiitdl-
| ly.
Planned European Trip
Every precaution was taken dur
/ ing the elections to suppress vio.
/ lenco. Ohregon himself planned to
/ leave Mexico for Europe the latter
! part of this week, TO remain on the
continent until time for his inaugu-
ration December /, TO prevent pos.
! sibility Of a disaster such as occur
red Yesterday.
Sale of liquor throughout the re-
! public was suspended from saturday
evening, June 80. until the close of
tire polls after the election Of Sun.
day. July l.
/ The result Of the election itself
vas a foregone conclusion, as both
! of the opposition candidates. Gener-
! al Arnulfo Gomez and General Fran
| tisco Serrano. had been executed on
! charges Of treason before the ballots
+ were printed.
/ Obregon was tho sole romaining
candidate He had the support Of
! President Plutareo Elias Gales, an
+ Obregon political protogo as the
newly modified Mexican constitu-
1 tion prevents reelection Of anv
president 10 succeed himself.
Gales Break Rumored
/ Also the term Of the presidency
had simultaneously been extended
from four TO six years Obregon
and Gales, il was believed in Mex.
leo, were planning TO porpctuate
( themselves in office bv lcugthening
the term Of the presidency and al
/ tcrrating i'm the executive chair.
IT was frequently rumored
( throughout the republic, hut vigor-
ously denied officially, that per
sonal differences had developed be.
tween the two although they con.
1 tinucd their affilation as matter
Of cxpedicncy.
Gales did not call the election
until a few days before the date
upon which it was actually held. 1t
was said at the time that Gales
supporters felt that the new six year
term should be retroactive, extend
ing Gales administration until
1890 but the fact that the elec-
ton was suddenly called at the last
moment demonstrated that Gales
himself felt otherwise.
The present ferment in Mexico,
which is basically religious. was
brought to a head by Gales strict
Interpretation Of the laws curbing
the activities of the churches. De