grown so strong that Huerta's reign of terror could not overthrow them. During Carranza's fight for supremacy, in order to win the support of labor from Villa, Carranza's secretary signed a written pact with the leader of the Casa del Obrero Mundial, promising to put into effect at the earliest opportunity an enlightened labor code. Then the various labor leaders organized the workers into the Batallones Rojos (red batallions) industrial units whose union officials became their military leaders. These rendered Carranza valuable service.[1]
It was at this period that Mexican and United States labor first entered into friendly relations. A message signed by Morones and other prominent Mexican labor leaders appealed to the A. F. of L. to use its influence on the United States Government for withdrawal from Mexico of the Pershing punitive expedition. This was sent ostensibly to capture Villa after his Columbus raid, but was also used to strengthen the demands of American investors, represented by the American and Mexican Joint Commission.[2] Carranza captured some of the United States soldiers and refused ta comply with a preemptory demand from President Wilson for their release. Jingoism rose to a high pitch. Senator Fall's intervention speech covered 17 pages of the Congressional Record. Senator Gallinger presented a letter from ex-Senator Blair, declaring that "our southern boundary is Panama."[3] After a conference in Washington between Mexican labor representatives and the executive commitee of the A. F. of L., Gompers sent a message to Carranza, urging him in the name of humanity and to pre-
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