A BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 204, 26 May 1938, Page 9

A BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS

Arms Smuggling In Mexico Even if, as now seems probable, President Cardenas succeeds in quelling the revolt led by General Saturnino Cedillo in the Mexican Province of San Luis Potosi, Mexico’s troubles will not be over. German and Italian propaganda have long been at work trying to make Mexico into another Spain. Arms smuggling has been going on for many years, and recently it has been intensified. The country is being battered by Fascist propaganda and honeycombed bv Japanese. Italian and German spies. .The object of the Fascist Powers is to undermine the present Socialist Government ami establish one more sympathetic to themselves in order to obtain concessions for iron and oil. both essen tial war products. Also, in the, event of war against America, a Fascist Mexico would be of great help iu diverting part of the U.S. Ueet. Nazi Propaganda General Cedillo’s right-hand man is a German, a wartime spy in Belgium, and it is through him that consignments of arms and dynamite, disguised as “farm implements,” are shipped to Tampico, on the Gulf of Mexico and transported by rail inland to San Luis Potosi. This German is in close touch ; with the Nazi Legation in Mexico City. A large quantity of arms have also been smuggled across the southern Mexican border from the neighbouring State of Guatemala, whose openly Fascist President, Jorge Übico, permits the unconcealed landing of arms at Puerto Barios. A third large source of arms smuggling is the 2000-mile-long Mexi-cau-U.S.A. border, which is so sparely populated that it is impossible to watch every point. Apart from arms, large-scale smuggling of Nazi propaganda literature, direct from the headquarters in Ham burg, of the famous German overseas propaganda bureau, is also carried out. A special Nazi organisation in Mexico Citv has been formed to distribute this propaganda aud operates under the name of “The United German Chanties.” In addition, Mexico is constantly bombarded by a Row of Nazi propagan da sent out from Germany by a special shortwave station. The object of this intensive barrage is to turn Mexico awav from the United States and thf Democratic Powers and bring her mtu the orbit of the Home-Berlin-Tokio triangle. “Gold Shirts”

'The Mexican fascist ’’Gold Shirt organisation was founded in 1933 undar Nazi supervision. Its leader was General Rodriguez, who, in 1935, staged a military demonstration in Mexico City and marched on the President’s palace. The demonstration was suppressed, Rodriguez exiled, and the “Gold Shirts declared illegal. Rodriguez, however, continued to keep in touch with his supporters in Mexico from his beauquarters in the U.S., and, in conjunction with Nazi agents in America, supervised the smuggling of arms across the border. Recently the Mexican Government has come to appreciate these largescale activities of Fascist groups under the leadership of Germans and Italians within the country, and it is probable that after the suppression of the Cedillo revolt, steps will be taken to clear all foreign spies out of the country and to put a stop, as far as possible, to the arms smuggling which makes such revolts possible. Hitler’s Aims

The Czechoslovak situation has ’improved. It is reported from Prague that the Czech Cabinet has definite information that Germany was planning another coup d’etat over the week-end. On the face of it this seems unlikely. In the first place Hitler’s policy i» never to make two spectacular coups in unnecessarily rapid succession. He knew that his successful invasion of Austria was Quite enough to satisfy the firebrands of the Nazi Party for another six months or so. He also knows that a dictator has to make a spectacular coup about twice a year to keep up his prestige at home. Austria served that purpose, and the enthusiasm has not yet died down. From this point of view alone it would serve his purpose best to let the Czech crisis simmer down. Little Entente

A second reason why Hitler would think twice before attacking is that Czechoslovakia is a very different proposition from Austria. Apart from definite pledges of support from and defensive alliance with both France and Russia, Czechoslovakia has treaties of alliance with Rumania and Yugoslavia. The first Czech-Yugoslav treaty was signed in August, 1920. A treaty with Rumania followed in April, 1921. This was the beginning of the permanent alliance between the three States which became known ns the Little Entente. The treaties have been several times renewed, and in February, 1933, they were extended indefinitely. Henceforth the three Little Entente States agreed to act as a single unit and a standing council composed of the Foreign Ministers of the three States was set up. Military Alliance

Czechoslovakia’s treaty with France dates from January, 1924. The alliance was strengthened as a result of the Locarno agreements of October, 1925, when the two countries undertook to come to each other’s assistance in the event of agression from Germany. Czechoslovakia’s treaty of mutual assistance with Soviet Russia dates from June, 1935, aud is on the same lines as the Franco-Soviet Pact, in other words a definite military alliance.

Thus, if all the countries with which Czechoslovakia is allied honour their agreements. Germany would find herself automatically fighting five countries, two of them among the most powerful in Europe. Austria had no such treaties of mutual assistance. Her only hope of security was the Covenant of the League. Waterbury

Warrants have been issued for tho arrest of Lieutenant-Governor Frank Hayes, who is also mayor of Waterbury, ami 23 other prominent persons on charges of juggling city funds, the frauds estimated to total £1,000,900. Waterbury is a city of Connecticut, in the United States. It stands on the Naugatuck River, 34 miles south-west of Hartford, and is served by several important railways. It is the chief centre of the American brassware industry, and is noted for the manufacture of watches and clocks. Pearl buttons, lamps, aud knitted goods_are also manufactured. Settled in 1047, Waterbury bec.rme a city in 1853. Its population is about 100.000.