Source: Daily Worker, Vol. VII, No. 221, September 13, 1930
Transcription/Markup: Paul Saba
Copyleft: Internet Archive (marxists.org) 2018. Permission is granted to copy and/or distribute this document under the terms of the Creative Commons License.
The recent revolts in Bolivia and Peru, which ended in the temporary substitution of one bourgeois government clique by another, are the prelude of the oncoming imperialist war between the two dominant imperialist powers– Great Britain and the United States. The overthrow of the Silas government of Bolivia by a military coup, General Cerro’s coup in Peru, conclusively prove the sharpening of this inter-imperialist rivalry.
Parallel to these maneuvers of British imperialism, we witness the defining of class relations in almost all the countries of South America and the attempt on the part of the oppressed masses to push forward the struggle against imperialist exploitation to its logical conclusion–against the feudal landlords, the native bourgeoisie and the imperialist vassals.
In Brasil, the workers and peasants are striving, under the leadership of the Communist Party, to break the wrist of both “conservative” and “liberal” bourgeoisie–the parties, respectively, of British and American bankers– and for an independent struggle, the struggle for Soviet power.
To a lesser degree, but with more astuteness, these two imperialist powers are maneuvering against each other in their Caribbean colonies. Here the iron heel of Wall Street falls heavier upon the oppressed masses, especially through the unchallenged control of the government institutions by the White House. In El Salvador and Honduras, the political intrigues of the opposing government groups reveal outstandingly the fight of London bankers against the still advancing colossus Yankee.
More defined is this rivalry in Mexico. For every concession gained by Mr. Morrow for his American masters and associates, there is a new war trench built by the British rival financial groups. The political horizon in Mexico is pregnant with dark clouds that may bring on any day the storm of bullets and destruction, an imperialist war. The Escobar rebellion of 1929, engineered by English financial lords, was defeated by American imperialism. Since then, Wall Street hat made further advances, culminating in the “successful” Lamont-Montes de Oca agreement But simultaneously with this advance, England it forging its weapons of war and this that Morones and Toledano are the willing servants and are coming forward to speak of the “progressive” role of European capital.
On July 25, Mr. de Oca, finance minister of Mexico, and Mr. Lamont, chairman of the international committee of bankers of Mexico, signed the agreement by which all the provisions therein included completely satisfy both the master and the servant. A victory for J.P. Morgan. Assurance is thereby given to the collection of big interests to be paid by the Mexican workers and peasants. The agreement only settles part of the international debts of Mexico to the amount of $500,000,000. Lamont secured the payment of the interest and sinking funds by a guaranteed lien upon customs revenues. This is the first far-fetched victory.
The second important victory for Morgan, whose mouthpiece in the White House is Mr. Hoover, is the passage of the control of the Mexican railway into the hands of American interests, It is a well-known fact that a good portion of the railway of Mexico has until now been under the unquestionable control of British financiers. The Lamont-de Oca agreement stipulates the plan by which the railway company is to be reorganised and a new one to be formed. It goes without saying that this new Company will be controlled hereafter by the House of Morgan. All ended happy but for British imperialism.
A few days after the conclusion of the agreement the declaration of General Almazan to the effect that in the event of war between the United States and any other power, it would be an “honorable” duty for Mexico to side with the United States, was a threat made by the Almighty Morgan, Hoover and company, to the beaten but not knocked out British imperialism. General Almazan’s statement should be considered as carrying a heavy political weight. He was one of Mr. Morrow’s lieutenants who helped the defeat of the Escobar rebellion of 1929.
Also, highly [text missing in original] Mr. Hoover’s announced autumn trip to Mexico, coinciding with [text missing in original] The way is now paved for the settlement of all “differences” between the United States and Mexico. Mr. Hoover has chosen to clean the plate.
Meanwhile, Toledano, the friend of the “progressive European capital,” and Morones, head of the decrepit Partido Laborista and the fascist Confederacion Regional Obrera de Mexico, speak on the same platform in Mexico in connection with the congressional elections. The forgotten Valenzuela is on a speaking tour in the Caribbean region on the payroll of London financiers.
The deepening economic crisis in Mexico is increasing the toll of unemployment. All industries are suffering from a general paralysis. In 1921 the petroleum industry employed 60,000 workers; in 1927, 17,000; in 1929, 12,000, and now a little over 6,000. A frightful unemployment in the mines, especially in Pachuca, where, through rationalisation, 60 per cent of the workers are facing permanent unemployment. More than 10,000 railway workers will be effected by the “reorganisation” system, with the help of the reformist leaders.
The Mexican bourgeoisie has now bluntly come out for a complete revision of the land question. It must be remembered that the so-called distribution of the land among the poor peasants was the marrow of the bourgeois revolution of the Obregon-Calles group. In his recent statement, Calles admitted that the land laws proved to be a fizzle. The national land debt amounts to something like $750,000, 000. The peasants only received 4 per cent of the land and no implements with which to work it. Some of the local governments have forcibly taken back the meagre piece of land given to the peasants after the revolution of 1917. This exorbitant land debt, piled by the pillage, graft and wholesale robbery of the government officials is now to be paid by the workers and peasants.
The first stages of capitalist rationalisation in Mexico and the resultant mass defensive to its application brought about the adoption of the fascist labor code, the fascization of the reactionary Morrow-Portes-Gil-Rubio state and the incessant, ruthless persecutions of the government. The further revision of the labor code is now proposed. This is deemed necessary in view of the tightened grip over the economy of the country resulting from the recent developments in connection with the Lamont de Oca agreement.
How the exploited workers are reacting, how these workers are increasing their militancy against the fascist government, can be best illustrated by the events of June 29 when in Matamoros they defied the police and demonstrated in the streets against the persecutions. Twenty workers were brutally massacred. The fascist authorities are particularly vicious in their attacks upon the Communist Party and the revolutionary trade unions. The announced Hoover’s trip to Mexico was again the target of renewed brutalities against the Communists. All efforts are being made to stifle any working class opposition to Hoover’s stepping on the Mexican soil. The oppressed masses know that this imperialist emissary’s trip is obnoxious to them.
The outcome of the impending war between the two imperialist powers, the outcome of the new program of financial and economic slavery, depends upon the correct application of the line of the Communist International, not only in Mexico, but also in the United States. The revolutionary proletariat of this country must give full support to the struggles of its brother proletariat of Mexico.