MEXICO: Band Wagon

Into the city of San Luis Potosi last week streamed an ever-increasing number of military men, former deputies, ex-senators, labor heads, peasant leaders. There they lined up outside the temporary office of Lázaro Cárdenas, waited long hours to get a chance to tell Mexico’s radical President how very loyal they were to him. Even those hitherto considered cool to Cárdenas’ policies swore undying fealty, branded rebellious General Saturnino Cedillo “the most ungrateful traitor alive.” In Mexico City, 27 State Governors assured Señor Cárdenas of their devotion. The Governors went so far as to assert, without offering evidence, that Cedillo was receiving support from foreigners.

To President Cárdenas, these assurances brought happiness. To neutral foreigners, the wholesale pledge of loyalty from previously doubtful supporters meant simply that the ill-timed, provoked revolt of Boss Cedillo, until recently political boss of San Luis Potosí State, had little chance of success, was already crumbling.

While Cárdenas headquarters announced that the capture of Cedillo was a matter of only days, it was still evident that the Boss was capable of making plenty of trouble for the hard-pressed Government. The “Sunshine Special” train carrying tourists between Laredo, Texas and Mexico City was derailed by Cedillo’s men, and tourist offices were forced to admit that the country was “disturbed.” In once-prosperous San Luis PotosíState, business was at a standstill.

Meanwhile, the “Bull of San Luis Potosí” was still at large. Capture of Cedillistas was announced daily, but Federal airplanes and troops combed the rugged Huasteca hills in vain for the Chief himself. At week’s end, Strongman Cedillo was so bold that by short-wave radio from his hideout he gave an interview to the U. S. He claimed his revolt was spreading.