MEXICO'S FUTURE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 59, 11 March 1939, Page 8

MEXICO'S FUTURE

UNSETTLED COUNTRY

AN EMPTY SLOGAN

(Special to tha "Evening Post.")

PALMERSTON N., This Day.

"Mexico for the Mexicans," is the slogan in the country of revolutions at the present time, according to the Rev. G. W. Davidson, formerly vicar of Woodville, who has just returned to the Dominion after spending a holiday in that country. Just how this doctrine was going to work out in practice he was unable to say, as the country appeared to be run by anyone but Mexicans, who seemed incapable of taking executive positions.

The country was unsettled and when he left there was a general idea that the present president, General Cardenas, would be deposed before very long. Who would be his successor, could not be stated, as it would depend on who ousted him from office. One effect of the general's land policy was to be observed in the cutting up of the big estates which were being handed over to the peons, who were really a low class of labourer. These people were given about 50 acres or ! so to cultivate, but they cultivated only about an acre in the corner of their property and let the rest go to ruin. The result of this was that the cereal crop in Mexico had fallen tremendously and the ranches which had been cut up no longer produced large quantities of cattle. The tourists did not. realise this as they were shown beautiful patches of corn and did not learn the real truth. Exactly what influence the Fascist countries were gaining in Mexico he could not tell, Mr. Davidson added, but it was a fact that if one went into a town such as Guanajuato, which had several thousand people, no Mexicans were found in executive positions. Germans, Spaniards, Frenchmen, and people of other nationalities would be seen. In those circumstances, if Mexico was going to be for the Mexicans, what was going to happen?