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Show OBREGON PRESIDENT of MEXICO Mr. Clarence Wooster of this city, v ho has had repeated and close personal per-sonal contacts with President Obregon Obre-gon of Mexica, discredits reports describing de-scribing him (Obregon) as a limited knowledge and experience and as speaking only the Spanish language. Obregon, Mr. Wooster says, had traveled in the United States previous pre-vious to his visit here two years ago. He speakes English freely, and so far from being a man of narrow and provincial views, is broadly intelligent intelli-gent with respect to the affairs of the world. All this is much to the good. It will be easier to carry on our diplomatic and other exchanges with a man of intelligence who understands un-derstands the English language than with the typical Mexican whose mental men-tal horison is limited by the boundaries boun-daries of Mexico. It is due, no doubt to the Indian in his blood that leads Obregon in his dealings with American Am-erican and other foreign diplomats to speak through interpreters. He will no doubt drop this affectation when it comes to close dealing. It is to be said of Obregon's administration ad-ministration that it begins well. Heads of the various branches of the administration appear to have been chosen discretely. Several are citizens of Sonora, where they had long been in close contact with Americans Am-ericans and therefore are better Qualified than the typical Mexican for intercourse with the American and other governments. Obregon's chief and most immediate problem v s to get rid o fhis three or four hundred "generals," who hang like leeches upon government, without so offending them as to promote military mili-tary rebellion. If he can rid himself of the incubus of his military entour age, and at the same time establish a tolearable social order, he will no doubt be able to raise in this coun-.try coun-.try the means absolutely necessary to governmental and industrial re-habiliation. re-habiliation. There would be greater hope of Obregon's success of the Mexican political record, remote and recent, tended more to confidence. In the ninety-nine years that have elapsed since Mexico cast off the Spanish yoke there have been, Including Obregon's Ob-regon's seventy-four distinct governments govern-ments in the country. With the exception ex-ception of the period of Diaz admin-stration;, admin-stration;, Meixican revolutions have averaged more than one per year. Thus the habit of the country is to overturn its government whenever it ceases jto be "strong enough in a military sense to maintain its hold upon the administrative machinery. Mexico' always has been, and must long be, subject to military domination. domina-tion. Peaceful methods are futile in a country where prectically everybody every-body is spoiling for a fight. Obre-1 Obre-1 gon, as a military man of high prestige, pres-tige, has an obvious advantage; none the less his besetments are many. On the whole, it may be said that the chances are against him. Very obviously the means Obregon Obre-gon so sadly needs can only be foun here. No European country has the money, even if it had the will; and Japan is out of the question. In the immediate posture of affairs probably prob-ably under any posture of affairs the Washington government would veto any proposal under which Japan Ja-pan might obtain a financial hold upon Mexico. Practically Mexico's only chance of aid in the form of capital is with us; and it will be the part of wisdom if we shall deal leas in remembrance of past grievances than in hope of better things to come. Mexico must have help and it is up to us to supply it of course under guarantees. |