MEXICO: Corpse Elected

The assassinated General Alvaro Obregon was solemnly chosen President of Mexico, last week, by the electoral college.

Next the electors took pompous cognizance that they had followed the instructions of their constituents even to the Death, even to electing a corpse President.

By easy stages the Electors then proceeded to recognize that a live Provisional President would have to be chosen. Finally, as predicted last fortnight, the choice fell upon Minister of Interior Emilio Fortes Gil (TIME, Oct. 1), who will serve from Dec. 1, 1928 until Feb. 4, 1930.

Despatches indicated that Señor Fortes Gil will run for President in the regular election which will be held during his extraordinary, stop-gap term as Provisional President. Chatting to correspondents, last week, he said:

“I received a thousand congratulations in advance, but I received them mechanically, scarcely realizing that this enormous responsibility would fall upon me.

“Well, we shall see how we shall emerge from this crisis. I shall govern constitutionally in such a manner as best to prepare the country for the coming election.

“All candidates who enter the race will do so with absolute guarantees of liberty.”