"Big Stick"

Ever since Franklin Delano Roosevelt's election uneasy Mexicans have been reflecting that the last U. S. Democratic President sent U. S. Marines to seize Veracruz briefly in 1914, sent Brigadier General John Joseph ("Black Jack") Pershing in 1916 to stalk Bandit Pancho Villa on Mexican soil. Last week Mexico City's independent Universal Grafico startled the Capital by printing the first Mexican attack on Democrat Roosevelt.

Dated from Los Angeles, Calif, and supposed to contain an authentic low-down on the President-elect, this dispatch warned Mexicans to beware March 4 because :

"1) Roosevelt owes his election largely to Catholics, who will demand that the Washington government bring pressure on Mexico in any conflict between this government and the Church;

"2) Roosevelt's most powerful political supporters include some whose property interests in Mexico may cause him to exert pressure on this government;

"3) Roosevelt plans to adopt in respect to Latin America the 'big stick' policy which made Theodore Roosevelt well hated below the Rio Grande;

"4) Armed intervention in Mexico would serve the desirable purpose of reducing unemployment in the United States."

In Mexican Government circles El Universal Grafico's "warning" was pooh-poohed, but U. S. residents of Mexico City called it significant, a timely echo of popular Mexican fears.

With elaborate courtesy El National, official newsorgan of Mexico's Government party, praised President Hoover last week for withdrawing the last U. S. Marine from Nicaragua (TIME, Jan. 9), diplomatically concluded: "Mexico was a spectator in this complicated story of international interests fighting an unequal battle. It is not difficult to guess toward which side our thoughts were influenced by fraternal sentiments."

In 1926 Mexico broke off diplomatic relations with Nicaragua, had not resumed them up to last week, partly because of Mexican suspicions that the Nicaraguan Government has been a set-up propped by U. S. Marines. Now that the props are gone, Mexico, according to El National, may soon find it possible to recognize the 100% Nicaraguan Government of newly inaugurated Nicaraguan President Dr. Juan Bautista Sacasa.

Mourning the 30th President of the U. S. last week El National said: "Mr. Coolidge was one of the highest representatives of the human race, incorruptible, simple and disdainful of money.

"He was 'a Republican Saint Peter, practicing what he preached.' . . . Under [his] administration Mexico became better understood by the American people. He had the good judgment to send us Mr. Morrow . . . who. from the moment of his arrival, showed his love for Mexico and succeeded in breaking down the barriers of ice then existing between the sister nations. . . .

"Mr. Coolidge on entering the tomb placed himself alongside the great benefactors of the human race. El National places a wreath of everlasting flowers on his grave."

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