Evening star., 1940-10-28


his six strenuous years in Office,
he replied instantly, progress in
education" Then he listed other
achievements, as follows: Land dis
tribution, bringing the Indians into
participation in the political life of
the country, public works, awaken
ing of true national spirit in Mex
leo, training for democracy.
Agrarian Question.
President Cardenas has always
been passionately interested in the
agrarian question. He indicated Wis
itors often came to Mexico and said,
"Oh, yes, your land reform embodies
very high ideal, and you have
distributed millions of acres of land,
but in fact has the land reform
really worked? Are the common
people indeed better OFF,"
To this the President would re-
ply, first, the amount of land under
cultivation in Mexico is greater than
it has ever been. and, second, the
standard of living of the villagers
has obviously and undeniably risen,
partly as result of increased con-
sumption of grain.
This does not mean, the President
implied, that the agrarian question
is settled. Aside from the actual
distribution of land, problems of
credit and education remain. But
the distribution of land is in itself
profound educational process. 1t
gives the people sense of free
dom and of participation in public
life.
1T is the Indian conception of life
to have land of his own. For the
Indian, land is life. An Indian
without land is an outcast. Land
produces the harmony between the
individual and his environment
which is essential to life in Mexico"
Will Retire December 1.
I asked the President why he was
retiring from public life on Decem-
ber l, instead of accepting the pos
sibility of reelection that many of
his followers had urged. He replied
that, first, reelection was impossible
without a change in the constitution,
which limits Mexican politicians of
all ranks to one term.
Besides" he said "it is one of
our revolutionary traditions to have
complete change every six years.
If any one violated this deep-rooted
political tradition it would offend
the instincts and feelings of the
Mexican people"
Finally asked what assurance the
President had that his basic policies
would be continued by his successor,
Gen. Manuel Avila Camacho.
MY successor comes from the
same group as myself, from the same
political party" President Cardenas
replied. 1T is logical to anticipate
that he will follow the same gen.
eral principles, modified, of course
in detail-by his own personal views.
1t is to be expected that he will add
his own personal touch to these
policies. But the policies will remain
the same. The question is not one
of men, nor of personalities, but of
general principles accepted by a
group.
Ready to Defend Land.
1--WE feel that we have created
movement sufficiently strong for
self defense. One million and half
heads of families have received land.
They are ready to defend their
land. 1t is absurd to think that any
one can ever attempt to re-establish
| the old system. We have given land
to the people, we have given labor
freedom to organize, we have slim
ulated the necessary spirit of CO.
operation. So we have created a
force which can amply defend
itself"
After leaving Gen. Cardenas I was
received by Gen. Eduardo Hay, Mex
ico's veteran Foreign Minister. Gen.
Hay was very vivid when asked
about fifth columnism He said
laughingly, There is no fifth column
in Mexico. What we have is sixth
column that talks about the imag-
mary fifth column"
Gen. Hay said Mexicos basic for
eign policy was friendly cooper
alton between all the countries of
the Western Hemisphere. He de-
clared President Roosevelt's good
neighbor policy had enormously
stimulated goodwill in the Americas
by removing fear of interference by
the United States in Latin American
affairs.
Mexico abhors war" Gen. Hay
said, "but if the United States goes
to war, Mexico will give close and
friendly collaboration to the United
States. The Mexican government
would never tolerate any attempt by
foreign power to use Mexico as a
source of agitation against the
United States, in the event of war"