LATIN AMERICA: Labor’s Candidate

Samuel Gompers,President of the American Federation of Labor, returned to the U. S. fresh from a romp in Mexico, where he had been supporting Radical General Plutarco Calles for the Mexican Presidency, and whence have emanated shrieks of protest from Conservative supporters of General Adolfo de la Huerta.

Said Mr. Gompers: ” It is true that in an address delivered in the City Hall at Juarez, Mexico, I expressed the hope that General Calles would be elected to the Presidency of Mexico. I declared that if I were a Mexican citizen, I would do all in my power to bring about his election. He has given of his friendship to Labor and his understanding and support of the principles of democracy, freedom and human progress.

“I understand that a small group of Mexican politicians has formulated a protest addressed to me because of the declarations which I made in favor of General Calles.

” I have no desire to change these declarations except to strengthen them, if possible. If such a protest has in reality been made, I take this opportunity to assure those who have made it that it will be answered promptly upon its receipt . . .

” In conference between the representatives of the Mexican and the American workers in El Paso, reference was made to the political campaign in Mexico, and an expression of the general feeling of all those present in regard to General Calles was embodied in the form of a resolution unanimously adopted . . . An extract from this resolution follows:

” ‘We have neither the right nor the desire to interfere in the purely internal political affairs of any country, but we cannot refrain from expressing deep satisfaction at the prospect of seeing a devoted friend of labor, justice, freedom and democracy elected President of one of the great Republics of the Western hemisphere.’ “