The People Cheered

Wrinkled old women toasted tacos over glowing charcoal. Children hawked bright clusters of United Nations flags. Clerks, military cadets and women with shawl-draped babes in their arms filled Mexico City's great central square, the Plaza de la Constitucion. All eyes focused on the presidential palace. The crowd had heard but the crowd could not believe. Was it possible, even on the 132nd anniversary of Mexico's revolt against Spain, that old and bitter political rivalries could be dissolved in the crisis of war? It was.

On to a platform strode President General Manuel Avila Camacho, who called for full collaboration with the United Nations. Standing beside him last week for Mexico and all the world to see were six living past Presidents: Adolfo de la Huerta (1920); General Plutarco Elias Calles (1924-28); Emilio Fortes Gil (1928-30); Pascual Ortiz Rubio (1930-32); General Abelardo Rodriguez (1932-34); General Lazaro Cardenas (1934-40), who exiled Calles in 1936. Five of them posed for a historic picture (see cut). The crowd in the Plaza saw the neatest demonstration of unity in Mexico's history. From 40,000 throats rose the cry: "Viva Mejico!"

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