LATIN AMERICA: Mexican Holiday

In the precise rectangular criss-cross of streets that is Mexico City popped myriads of firecrackers, detonated cannon crackers as bulkily potent as an elephant’s wrist. From the oozy slums half sliming into Lake Texcoco rose a clatter of revelry that carried even to aristocratic patios of the Colonia Juarez. Mexico’s 115th Independence Day (Sept. 16) had arrived with the dealth-dealing rejoicings that marked an early Rooseveltian U.S. Fourth of July.

In the course of a week’s celebration “homage was paid to cadets killed during the American occupancy of 1848.” Each day the soldiers of the Republic “goose-stepped with a marked improvement in discipline and training.” As the week drew to a close, the bones of the nation’s historic dead were solemnly transferred from the Cathedral, where they had been watched over by 62 tumbago statues, to a new resting place at the base of the Independence Monument.

With night came illuminations. The Cathedral, its whole interior richly carved and gilded, blazed with an intensity offset by the gloomy shadows cast by its 20 squat Doric columns. Across the plaza, in the Palacio Nacional,* President Calles gave first a reception and then a ball. At midnight the festivities abated for an instant. President Calles stepped out upon the central balcony of the palace and pulled a cord which is pulled by every President of Mexico who manages to remain in office until a 16th of September. Boomed forth “The Liberty Bell† of Mexico.” Cried Senor Calles “Viva Mejico!” The official celebration came to an end. Not so the ball!

*It stands upon a site formerly occupied successively by the residences of Montezuma and Hernando Cortez.

ĺ Sounded by the national hero-priest, Hildago, on Sept. 16, 1810, to call the people of Dolores to arms. The movement thus begun kindled the torch of Mexican revolt which unseated Spain.