Evening star., 1932-10-02
PRESIDENT RODRIGUEZ (CENTER) AND ExPREsIDENT

EX.PRESIDENT RUBIO.
this civil war Gales emerged from his
retirement and became secretary of Tar.
The fighting over, he again withdrew to
private life
But in name only. He continued to
be the directing force of Mexican poll
tics and public affairs. He it was who
picked Pascual Ortiz Rubio, another
civilian, engineer by profession, diplo-
mat by career. for the presidency. Ortiz
Rubio's candidacy was opposed by Jose
Vasconcelos, secretary of education In
Obregons cabinet, whose school centers,
stadium, ana frescoes. made possible by
his encouragement Of art. remain the
outstanding contribution to the progress
the revolution was supposed to inaugu-
rate.
To Vasconcelos belongs the further
distinction of having made the flrst
genuine, peaceful electoral campaign IN
recent Mexican history. The close OF
the campaign was marred-through no
fault of either candidate-by bloody
clashes between their followers. What
the result of an absolutely free election
would have been no human being can
tell. There can be no question OF Vas
conceloss popularity at the time. while
Ortiz Rubio was comparatively unknown.
But the victory of the official candidate
was a foregone conclusion.
Follow Usual Course.
Pascual Ortiz Rubio became Presi-
dent of Mexico.
The events which have eliminated
in his resignation and the election OF
his successor are in keeping with Mex.
can political practice-the practice OF
virtual relationships. The position OF
the new President was what is known IN
Mexican parlance as very delicate. He
had been made by Gales. who remained
the real boss of Mexico. 1t was to Gales,
in any one of his pastoral retreats, that
politicians went with their hopes ana
troubles, ignoring the dapper and IN
effective occupant of Chapultepec. A
strong man in the presidency would
have asserted himself and either sue
ceeded in being President IN fact, as
well as in name, or risktng all IN an
open breach.
Ortiz Rubio proved weak. He failed
to show either the required subservlence
to the square -jawed and iron-Wllled ng-
ure In the background or to exercise the
necessary authority on his own account.
When Gales absented himself for sew
eral weeks in the United States because
Of his Wife's illness, the President ap-
parently was unable, in the absence OF
the president, to SIT on the 10
effectively.
OF various incidents contributing to
increasing friction, rumpus over the
personnel of the General Hospital IN
the federal district looms as the al
legged cause of the final break. In pro-
nj
the governor Of the federal district re
signed. The post is an important and
a desirable one Yet -FOUR OF Ortiz
Rubio's appointees successfully refused
to take it. They had received their cue
from Gales. The breach had become
open and public. President Ortiz Rublo
decided that prolonged soJourn in the
United States would be good for his
health
Actually, there is ground for the be-
lief that Ortiz Rubio's undoing came
in part from his manifest friendliness
to Gen Joaquin Amaro, probably the
runner-up strong man in Mexico
long deemed presidential possibility
The new President, now in his early
forties. represents the better type OF
army chieftain. He. likewise, halls from
Sonora. and has long been close to
Gales. His personality is attractive. He
formerly was governor of the northern
district OF Lower California, post
which carries with 1t supervision OF the
race track, gambling and other con-
cessions patronized by Americans just
over the border. He was then promoted
to the secretaryship Of industry, COM
merce and labor, and thence to the wal
portfolio. He is considered a strong
man." friendly to the United, welcom-
ing the entry Of American capital into
Mexico.
Public Is Uninterested.
So far the transition has been wholly
peaceful. Scarcely a ripple appears t.
have disturbed the placid face of Mex
ican political waters. The general pub
lie is, of course, totally uninterested
knowing that it had no part in the
making or unmaking of the President
who has been marched out or in select
ing the new Gales appointee. But .ir
the circles where politics constitutes Q
| livelihood, past history would indicate
that it may be about time to look fol
an explosion. 1t would be contrary K
every precedent to expect generals whit
have been, passed over to remain inac.
| tive. Describing a previous militar,
revolt, well known Mexican politician
turned writer, thus epitomlzed Mexico!
recurring problem:
'Tt all arose from the desire of Mexi
cans, who are plural, to attain the pres
idency, which is singular"
On the other hand, Gales may b;
able to repeat DiaZ's performance ant
in the slightly altered role of a Mexi
can Warwick continue to be the make
and unmaker of the nations nomina
rulers. While all this is the antipode
of the effective suffrage and no re
election" for which Madero suffered
martyrdom and for which a generation
of Mexicans ostensibly bled and died
there is much to be said for the main
,tenance of peace. The "outs" whit
come in are always hungrier than, th'
''ins" who stay in, and the blood, an
guish and waste incident to politico
military upri5ings are merely an addet
hiirder iIrnn the MEXICAN 0eof9le