"Great Change"

When two major revolutions broke out in Mexico last week on the very day before U S. President Hoover's Inauguration, correspondents heard a flustered official of the U S State Department exclaim that Ambassador Dwight Whitney Morrow, on his recent visit to Washington, certainly did not give Secretary of State Frank Billings Kellogg any reason to think that Mexico was on the brink of revolution. Curiously enough, the only U. S. daily which let this indiscreet admission into cold type was New York's arch-Republican Herald-Tribune.

The twin revolutions occurred respectively A) In the great gulf port of Vera Cruz State of Vera Cruz, 200 miles east of Mexico City and B) In Nogales, State of Sonora, famed drink & divorce boomtown on the U. S. Border, 1,000 miles northwest of Mexico City.

"Revolution A" was led by General Jesus Maria Aguirre and his brother General Manuel Aguirre; "Revolution B by General Francisco Manzo and Governor Fausto Topete of the State of Sonora, renowned for fierce Yaqui Indians and divorces by "mutual consent." The "A" and "B" revolts were synchronous, and the high officials concerned have in common that they are all old associates of the late assassinated President-Elect Alvaro Obregon (TIME, July 30), and are a supporters of presidential candidate General Gilberto Valenzuela, called by his enemies el Capitan de los Cristeros, a nickname implying he is the military chief of embattled Mexican Roman Catholics.

Both revolutions were at first entirely bloodless. The soldiers of the garrisons at Vera Cruz and Nogales simply obeyed their Generals--previously trusted servants of the state--when ordered to declare against the government of Mexican President Emilio Fortes Gil, ruthless suppressor of Catholics.

The President moved against the revolutionaries by asking onetime President Plutarco Elias Calles (1924-28) to emerge from his civilian retirement and defend the state as Minister of War. Responding instantly, General Calles ordered swift mobilization, scoffed at reports that six states had joined Sonora and Vera Cruz in revolt clapped on an iron censorship.

The hesitant attitude of the armed forces of the Republic--on which everything depended--was quaintly shown when ships of the Mexican fleet off Vera Cruz fired at the revolutionaries in the city a few shots which must have been blanks, since they did no damage. Thus should the government win, the fleet would have "fired" in its defense, and, should the revolution triumph, Mexico's swarthy sea-dogs would have deserved well.

Since Nogales is a twin city, partly in Mexico and partly in Arizona, General Manuel Aguirre of the Nogales, Sonora, revolutionaries was soon called upon by Col Arthur M. Shipp, commander of the Nogales, Ariz., 25th U. S,. Infantry border patrol. Later, Col. Shipp said:

"I do not expect any serious trouble. Information given me leads to the belief that a great economic change without bloodshed is in progress."