The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1937-01-11

SCTACeRlC ECtE6dC u V4VdA LIS
At a press conference on De-
cember 20, President Roosevelt
first revealed that ediately
upon the co1yening Of congress
the administration would move
for the enactment Of a measure
broadening the neutrality law TO
deal With irlStances Of civil COM
hict. He emphasized that while
the immediate object Of the pro-
posal would be to halt the export
Of arms to Spain, its terms would
be general and would not refersto
any particular country ~ 'if
Exactly aweek later; on Janu-
vary s, Chairman Key Pittman Of
the senate foreign relations COM
mittee emerged from q conference
with the president ard Informed
reporters that on the following
day he would introduce the adj
ninistrat.on's proposal to bar the
shipment Of war n9aserjais - to
Spain.
Because Of certain condi-
lions and in order 10 avoid pro-
tracted debate and delay"
Pittman explained, IT has been
decided TO limit the resolution
solely TO SPAIN"
Pittman would not discuss the
certain conditions" that had
caused this abrupt change In the
presidents plans. And in the ex-
element over the dramatic move
to prevent the shipment Of arms
and planes then being loaded for
transport in New York harbor, his
remark went unnoticed.
1T DESERVED GREATER At
TENTION. HIS WORDS WE'RE
SIGNIFICANT.
What Senator Pittman meant
In his ambiguous reference TO
Certain conditions" was Mexico.
Mexican Revolution
The sanguinary, ominous strug-
gle In Spain has obScured the
fact, but another fascist-com-
munist explosion has been brew
ing below the Rio Grande for
months.
The Mexican government, like
the Spanish, is. Ileftist. 1t has
appropriated great estates and
distributed the land to landless
peasants, sequestered church
property and exiled high Catholic
dignitaries.
Violently opposed to the gov
eminent is fascist military
group, which has been waiting
for chance TO start a revolution.
This conspiracy has received
considerable financial support
from American sources.
"GOIden Shirts
Funds have been collected in
the United States for the care of
cxiled priests and the aid Of
Catholic institutions. The Mexi-
can government charges that
much of this money Is being d.
verted to finance the fascist
group.
II claims that one Of the
chief beneficiaries Of these
American funds is Nicolas Rod
riguez, exlled chief of the fas-
cist Golden Shirts" who struts
about on the Texas side Of the
border swearing CORY vengeance
against the "violators Of religion
and property"
The U. s.. state and war de-
partments are In possession OF
confidential information that
Rodriguez. and other anti-goyern-
rnent forces allied with him, were
all set to launch their revolt had
Roosevelt been defeated or had
the presidency been thrown into
the house, as Father Coughlin
predicted 1t would be. They
counted on the resulting confu-
sion In the United States TO give
them free hand In securing the
necessary munitions to attack the
Mexican government.
The presidents overwhelming
election blasted his scheme. Also,
unlike the Spanish government
which was caught mapping. the
Mexican government took drastic
steps to prepare for the threat
ened revolt. In addition to the
regular army, President Cardenas
armed the peasants. These agrar-
ians, while unframed, are fierce
fighters. Today, there are more of
them under arms than there are
soldiers.
u. s. Problem
Although the fascist revolt
failed to materialize In Noyem-
Der, the situation in Mexico is
still extremely tense and uncer-
tain. The threat Of an outbreak
remains.
Also, certain U. 8. interests are
secretly continuing to keep 1t
alive.
The president and his advisers
feared that these elements, know
ing that general embargo on
war exports TO all countries em-
broiled In civil strife might some
day apply TO Mexico, would OBJ
struct and fight such a bill. Also,
the state department insisted that
the critical European situation
required immediate action to halt
further shipments to Spain.
THIS WAS WHY THE PRESI-
DENT SUDDENLY DROPPED