ANGRY MEXICANS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 121, 25 May 1942, Page 5

ANGRY MEXICANS

ANTI-AXIS FEELING

Cabinet Asks Congress To

Declare War

United Press Association.—Copyright. Rec. 1 p.m. MEXICO CITY, May 24. Thousands of Mexicans demonstrated against the Axis at a huge meeting in Central Plaza in homage to the 21 men lost in submarine attacks. The crowd gave an ovation to President Camacho and members of the Cabinet when they appeared on the balcony of the Palace. Axis business houses have been painted with slogans, "Down with the Axis" and "Down with Hitler." in spite of police guards. As the President waved to the populace, the Government radio announced: "We are demonstrating to the President and the entire world, including the Fascists, that Mexico is united and determined to win the war." Cabinet has asked for a special session of Congress to declare war against the Axis. The decision was taken after a long night session in reprisal for the torpedoing of two Mexican ships in the Caribbean Sea. It is reported that Congress will meet shortly and an official spokesman said Congress will formally declare war against the Axis Powers. General Sanchez, Chief of the Mexican General Staff, says the Mexican Army has taken all measures necessary to meet the war crisis. The Navy Department has taken over all lighthouses and other navigation aids and will operate them in the interests of national security. Squads of soldiers are patrolling the capital and other Mexican cities and the army is responsible for public order. Troops are reported to be already moving to strategic zones and protecting railway bridges and tunnels, communications, war factories andiairfields. These measures are i designed =to < place Mexico on* a complete defensive war basis when Congress makes a. formal declaration of war against the' Axis—probabl- on Tuesday.

The Mexican Government is investigating the alleged delivery of'an entire cargo of Mexican fuel oil to Axis submarines by the French steamer Merope, which the Mexican Petroleum Bureau chartered for a voyage to New York. The Merope sailed with 8000 barrels of petroleum and then disappeared, ostensibly lost at sea. However, Mexican coastguardsmen spotted the vessel off the coast two days ago and captured it. They found the ship empty. Half of the Merope's crew are Frenchmen, whose services were retained because of familiarity with the vessel, other members of the crew being Mexicans. The newspapers La Presna and El Universal reported to-day from Havana that the Mexican tanker Faja de Oro had been torpedoed off Cuba and burst into flame. Most of the crew were lost. The authorities have not issued any statement. The Faja de Oro was formerly the Italian ship Genoano, of 6067 tons. On April 24 the crew filed a sworn statement declaring that the ship rammed an Axis submarine.