Mexico

Series

Series Name

The March of Time 6th Year

Issue

Issue No.

9

Date Released

1941

Length of issue (in feet)

1701

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1Mexico

Story

Story No. within this Issue

1 / 1

Summary

The March of Time synopsis: Long famous as a land of Revolutions, Mexico is now undergoing a new kind of revolutionary change which - perhaps in one or two generations - is destined to give her 20 million poverty-stricken people better economic security. Lazaro Cardenas, President of the Mexican Republic, strong man of a semi-socialist state, rules his party and its elected representatives with absolute authority, and has taken as his slogan, "Mexico for the Mexicans". Since 1934, when he first came to power, Cardenas has carried out his scheme of land redistribution, taking over 40 million acres from their former owners and turning them from vast estates into small farms for the peasants. Realising his countrymen’s respect for a rifle, he has armed his new landholders, so that they may protect their property. The Government has spent millions of dollars on agricultural improvements, on training the younger generations of peasants in the use of modern methods and machinery, on organising the peons into collective farms and co-operatives. Mexico’s new industrial proletariat, though better off than the peasants, were impatient for immediate and tangible benefits. A million workers joined the C.T.M. - the Confederation of Mexican Labour Unions - whose leader, Lombardo Toledano, was a great Friend of Cardenas. Toledano complained that 90% of the country’s subsoil wealth was owned by foreign capital. Finally, in the name of the Mexican Revolution all foreign oil holdings were expropriated, but production in that line suffered immediately from the consequent lack of technicians and experienced managers. In addition to the virtual boycott declared by indignant British and American buyers, Britain’s naval blockade has, since the outbreak of Europe’s war, cut off shipments to Germany and Italy, leaving Japan as the only potential customer.
The film points out that this economic crisis encouraged the conservative opposition in the country, the former wealthy landowners and industrialists. But the young proletarians of the C.T.M. were steadfast in their adherence to the gospel of Marx and Lenin and their hatred of foreign imperialism. Mexico was promised its first free and democratic election. When the socialist government was returned with an overwhelming majority the conservative candidate denounced the election as a fraud, threatening to seize the presidency with the support of powerful foreign interests.

From the political crisis emerged Mexico’s change of policy towards her neighbour, the United States. For Cardenas realised that in the war world of today a good neighbour policy was the only way in which Mexico might have the peace and security in which to settle her own internal affairs. Late in 1940 he promised to work for the completion of the strategically important international highway running the length of Mexico - the only overland link between the U.S. Border and the Panama Canal. Five secret Nazi radio stations were seized and dismantled; German agents were warned that their presence and activities would not be tolerated Mexico’s workers, given a new and less radical leader, were ordered to co-operate and increase production in the interests of national unity and national defence. Today Mexico’s army, with the assistance of U.S. military experts is being modernised and increased. For Cardenas is determined that, no matter who may succeed him to office, the brave new world his countrymen have laboured to build, shall be preserved and strengthened for his people and for their generations yet to come.

Researcher Comments

This story was included in Vol.7 No.3 of the US edition.

Keywords

Politics and government; Foreign relations

Written sources

The March of Time Promotional Material   Lobby Card, Used for synopsis

Credits:

Production Co.

Time Inc.