LATIN AMERICA Notes

LATIN AMERICA

Notes

Mexico. President Calles celebrated his 51st birthday with a political dinner in the Presidential Palace. All the high and mighty of the nation were present.

The President celebrated the beginning of the 52nd year of his life by signing an economy measure for the Mexican railways, the chief point of which is the gradual dismissal of 14,000 employes. "No strikes," warned Senor Calles.

Colombia. For the third time this year the volcano of Galeras, near Pasto, opened its mouth and spewed rocks, ashes and other red-hot debris over the countryside. Great flames soared heavenwards. News from La Florida and Sonsaca, nearby towns, was interrupted. Fear was expressed that they had been destroyed.

Cuba. President Gerardo Machado y Morales signed a Sanitary Convention negotiated on Nov. 14, 1924, by Argentine, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Guatemala, Para guay, Peru, Salvador, Santo Do mingo, the U. S., Uruguay, Venezuela.

The President also signed a bill creating a Department of Communications, which henceforth is to be in charge of Cuban postal and telegraph services.

Ecuador. Ramos Pedrueza, Mexican Minister to Ecuador, made such violent Bolshevik speeches that the Government was obliged to request him to cease his tongue-wagging. Information concerning him was sought from Mexico City in a letter addressed to the newspaper Excelsior by the Chief of Police of Guayaquil. Excelsior answered that Senor Pedrueza is the most terrible Bolshevik in Latin-America.

Honduras. The revolution which has been raging quietly in Honduras for the past few months (TIME, May 4) came into the news when Government troops administered a severe thrashing to the rebels.

Nicaragua. Local newspapers of Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, announced that the U. S. marines would leave on Aug. 4. Washington confirmed the statement by stating that they would leave "early in August." The marines have been in Nicaragua for 13 years and were to have left early this year, but President Carlos Solorzano requested that they remain to maintain order pending the creation of a native constabulary. The constabulary is now functioning.

Venezuela. In Washington, the sword of General Jose Antonio Paez, Liberator of Venezuela, was presented as a gift of honor to U. S. General John J. Pershing by the Venezuelan Charge d' Affaires, Dr. Francisco Gerardo Yanes. The sword, the most sacred trophy of the Republic, was accompanied by the Order of the Liberators, Venezuela's highest order, together with an album containing photographs of the General's recent visit to the South American Republic.