THE MEXICAN WAY.

Southland Times, Issue 18825, 19 May 1920, Page 4

THE MEXICAN WAY.

Carranza seems to have fallen it) the superior organisation of his late Minister ol War, who, though nut yet acknowledged as head of the new government will piobably dominate it. The latest messages have referred to the appearance of one Huerta on the seeae and it is possible that lie is a relative of Victoriano Huerta, who while Commando nin-Uhief to iladcro, the successor lo Porfiri > Diaz, headed a revolution which resulted in Huerta's elevation to [lower am. Madero’s murder. Huerta found the whole country in a state of rebellion and though he \.;.s acknowledged by several of the [lowers, the United States withheld recognition and iu April, 1914, American marines were landed ac Vera Cruz, as a result of President Wilson's opposition to the “bloodstained Huerta,” though his increase of the impon duties probably influenced American opinion more than the death of Mudcro. In the meantime Carranza and Francisco Villa were punishing the Hucrtist troops and finally Venusttano, the president, resigned, leaving the rebels in the field. By this time, a new force, under the bandit Zapata, appeared on the scene. A triangular war continued for a while but Zapata was finally driven out of Mexico City by Carranza, and General Obregon inflicted a heavy defeat upon Villa at Celaya, where Obregon lost an arm. This made way for Carranza’s accession as provisional president and lie was generally recognised before the end ol 1915. Villa, however, continued in open rebellion in the north, and Felix Diaz, a nephew of tho redoubtable Porfirio kept the rebellious fires burning in the south. The final elimination of Zapata was effected through the instrumentality of General Gonzales, a close friend of Carranza’s and for a long time his military governor of jdcxico City. The rise of Gonzales coincided with the defection of General Obregon, who threw up the post of Minister of War and conducted a strenuous campaign with the object of destroying Carranza's grip upon the Mexican Congress. Under the consti tution of Mexico a president cannot fill two successive terms and Carranza was due to retire next year. It was arviclpated, however, that he would nominate a puppet or a close supporter and both Gonzales and Bonillas, then Mexican Ambassador at Washington, were mentioned as probable candidates. Obregon was also in the field. Before he broke with Carranza, the American Press frequently charged Obregon with being pro-German, but the stories of a few years ago are now being hotly denied and Obregon is being held up to public gaze as a stronger and more reasonable American than was Carranza when he secured recognition in 1915. Obregon visited the United States a year or so ago and he was treated with marked distinction, so that tho ready, almost eager, offer to recognise him

as the de facto head of the government puts Washington in a suspicious light. Obregon, however, has tremendous difficulties before him. He has succeeded in holding together some of the factions long enough to enable him to rout Carranza, but he V now in no better position than was Carranza when he had displaced Huerta. Certainly Obregon has shown himself to be the most energetic of the Mexican military leaders from the days of the first campaign against Huerta down to the present day, and he has Radical tendencies, but unless he changes the Constitution of 1917, Carranza’s “great work,” he cannot hope to retain the friendship of the United States, and while the neighbouring republic is unfriendly to the de facto government, rebels in Mexico will not want for arms and financial aid.