Rightist Fortress

Proudest achievement of the socialist-minded Mexican Government is its school system. In 1910 Mexico had only 600 State-supported schools and 70% of its citizens were illiterate. But the post-revolution constitution of 1917 decreed free, secular education for all. By 1921 President Obregon began to send missionaries into the rural districts to establish secular schools. A constitutional amendment in 1934 gave the Government control of all primary and secondary education, directed that it should be socialistic. Today, despite the bitter opposition of the Roman Catholic Church to the new educational plan, Mexico has some 23,000 secular schools with more than 2,000,000 students getting no religious instruction; 86% of its primary schools are supported by the Federal or State Governments. All these schools preach "the doctrine of economic interdependence and social service," various shades of socialism. Children attend them by day, adults by night. There moppets are vaccinated and expectant mothers given medical advice.

But in Mexico City remains one Rightist stronghold defiantly independent of the education ministry--the National University. It is the oldest university in North America. Its students, traditionally conservative, struck again and again until in 1933 they won complete autonomy from the Government, plus a Government endowment of 10,000,000 pesos. The Government regrets every penny of it. When three years ago the university complained its income was inadequate, President Lazaro Cardenas tartly advised it to stop being an enemy of the State.

At 2 o'clock one morning last week several hundred young men filed silently into the university buildings, barricaded doors and corridors. By daybreak enraged Rightist students found their university had been taken over by the United Socialist Youth of Mexico. When Rector Chico Goerne arrived in his office, the Socialists marched him out again. The Rightists charged at the doors, clambered up walls, were driven back by revolver shots. The Leftists held the buildings all day. One student lay dead and five injured when Government police finally smashed in, arrested or dispersed the Socialists, recaptured the university for the Government's foes.

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