Spiteful Ministress?

She has fomented antagonism against Mexico by statements made in European capitals. She has criticized the Mexican Constitution and the structure of laws based thereon. She has declared that some day downtrodden Mexican women will rise and assert themselves. Just now she is safely out of Mexico but Mexican indignation still runs high against Mme. Alexandria Kollontay.

Less than a year ago she was sent to Mexico City by the Soviet government with the diplomatic rank of an "envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary." President Plutarco Elias Calles and other gallant Mexicans bowed as they kissed the hand of the first Ministress to Mexico (TIME, Jan. 3, 1927). Suddenly, a few months afterward she was recalled.

Last week the Mexican government revived this closed incident in a surprising manner. At Mexico City Senor Alfonso Carvioto, Mexican ambassador to Guatemala, issued a statement in which he roundly flayed Ministress Kollontay for flouting diplomatic tradition by "attacking the government of Mexico on her return [through] to Moscow."

To scotch these attacks, Ambassador Cravioto insinuated, last week, that they were made by Mme. Kollontay out of feminine spite "because General Calles has systematically ordered the expulsion of all foreign propagandists of communistic ideas from Mexico."

Statesmen thought that the strong-minded and purposeful Ministress would ignore this final kickback from her Mexican adventure. She remains in good standing with the Soviet government, which returned her last month to her original and favorite diplomatic post: the Soviet legation in Oslo, Norwegian capital. There King Haakon did not hesitate to receive her as persona, grata.