Term Extended, Catholics Jailed

Term Extended, Catholics Jailed

President Plutarco Elias Calles was elected for a four-year term expiring Dec. i, 1928. But last week there became ef- fective, after ratification by two thirds of the Mexican States, a Constitutional amendment lengthening the presidential term to six years and providing (as in Switzerland) that a president may not be re-elected for an immediately successive term. Thus Senor Calles cannot choose to run for President in 1930.

The closing up of Roman Catholic schools and nunneries and the arbitrary arrest of Roman Catholics under the Anti-Religious clauses of the Constitution (TIME, Feb. 22, 1926 et seq.) is a sport which the Mexican constabulary pursue by cruel and unusual fits and starts.

Last week was an "open "season." At Mexico City, Chief of Police General Roberto Cruz bagged and jailed 20 nuns and some 300 miscellaneous Roman Catholics charged with imparting religious teachings and propaganda.