and almost all of them received the idea with enthusiasm, and in order to carry it out, the Secretariat of Industry, Commerce and Labor gave them specimens, technical instructions, and as much data as was obtainable from the foreign Agencies. SECURITIES (INSURANCE) The national insurance companies have decreased their operations, and the foreign companies confine themselves to keeping up or liquidating their former policies; and the maritime companies have also suffered a decline. But on the other hand fire insurance has increased. The "La Mexicana" Insurance Company's bankruptcy is about to be settled. The insurance in effect on the 31st of December last, came to $870,142,662.56, and the amount of maritime insurance during the same year was $286,347,652.30. At present there are 76 companies operating: 12 life and personal accident insurance; 42 fire insurance; and 22 of risk on movable and immovable property; besides 4 commercial houses which issue maritime insurance. Some interest has been recently manifested in insurance for workers; and a Company of Insurance on Accidents in the course of Labor has asked permission to operate on a cooperative basis among the industrials themselves. Especial care has been taken to prevent insurance companies from operating within the Republic without first obtaining the requisite authorization. ACTIVITIES ABROAD The Department extends its labors beyond the limits of our territory by means of the Consulates and commercial agents by sending samples of products to fairs and other gatherings, distributing publications, and inserting articles in the press and high-grade magazines. DALLAS FAIR Mexico took part in the fair at Dallas, Texas, toward the end of last year, and sent there a good exhibit of national products, and met with flattering success, since several commercial transactions resulted from it. RIO DE JANEIRO EXPOSITION In this exposition were exhibited raw materials, manufactured articles, a mass of publications, many of which were composed especially for that exposition, photographs and moving picture films, reports and statistics, and whatever else could give an approximate idea of the degree of culture we have reached in all lines. MINING EXPOSITION IN CLEVELAND An extensive mineralogical collection, with pertinent statistics, is being prepared for the mining exposition in Cleveland; and the advisability of being represented in other competitions in the United States is being considered. PERMANENT EXPOSITIONS Permanent expositions of national products have been made up which will be exhibited in due form and with all pertinent information, under the auspices of our consulates and commercial agents. These expositions now number twenty-four and will have every kind of data, statistics, directories, etc., so that in turn they may be delivered to interested parties. COMMERCIAL PROPAGANDA Commercial agencies have been established in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Toronto, Guatemala, Buenos Aires, Barcelona, Milan, Berlin, London, and Amsterdam for disseminating commercial information. These agencies have a limited sphere of action, because of the strict economy to which they are subject; their full and complete functioning would require considerable expenditures for propaganda through the press, the moving pictures, permanent and temporary exhibitions, organization of Mexican Chambers of Commerce, excursions of foreigners to Mexico, and of Mexicans to foreign lands, lectures, conventions, etc., but although on a small scale, they have given excellent results. Every possible facility is given and will continue to be given to foreigners so that they may hold exhibitions of raw materials and manufactures of Mexico; for that would be in the highest degree beneficial to our commerce. It is being arranged to send important quantities of Mexican tobaccoboth in leaf and prepared-to some foreign countries. And an attempt is being made to get a direct steamship line between Mexico and Canada for the transportation of fruit. This unquestionably will increase the export trade. A Commercial Agency was established in Amsterdam, for there had been noted a great interest in Holland and the Scandinavian countries in the matter of commercial intercourse with Mexico. In a short time a Mercantile Directory will be completed which will contain all the obtainable information regarding national commerce and industry. This volume, furthermore, will contain some considerations on the great importance of our commercial and industrial development. DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM This department issued seven exploration permits, for periods of from six to three months; nine assignments of concessions were authorized, and five of these were declared lapsed. One exploitation permit and three for the construction of oil pipe lines were granted. There were twenty-two repudiations; and ten titles, covering an area of 2,633 hectares, were extended. 124 permits for sinking of wells were declared groundless, and 469 were granted. There now exist 628 productive wells, which produced daily, until they began to be injured by the presence of salt water, 6,564,156 barrels, and which produce now a smaller quantity which has not been ascertained. But there is no need for alarm, because there is even now an ample margin of production. In spite of the advent of the water, the wells of Topila, Chinampa and Toteco continue to yield considerable quantities. In 1921 Mexico produced twenty-six per cent of the world production of petroleum. Since 1901, when production began, up to 1921, 729,921,330 barrels of petroleum have been produced. In the first five months of this year 88,533,644 barrels were obtained. There is a system of oil pipe lines with a length of 3,758 kilometers, of which 585 kilometers were constructed during the year. In 1921, 172,268,136 barrels were exported, and in the first five months of this year, 86,314,192. There are in operation nineteen refineries with a capacity of 386,439 barrels daily, and six more refineries are being planned for at present. One hundred sixty-seven petroleum companies are registered. Plans and sketches of the petroliferous fields have been drawn, and there has been a wide dissemination of information by means of individual publications. DEPARTMENT OF MINES There were issued 1,379 titles covering an area of 18,728 hectares and 184 permits to explore and work mines. There were 2,273 requests for mining concessions, 806 defaults, and 2,327 despatches (expedientes) received from the Agencies. Contracts were signed for the exploration and working of auriferous locations in the "Los Zapotillos" and "La Libertad" canyons, and the Chuta River in the State of Michoacán, as well as in the Yaqui River in the State of Sonora. The fulfillment of the regulations and other ordinances guaranteeing the mine workers was enforced. A commission was named to study and propose reforms for the Mining Law. PATENTS AND TRADE-MARKS The Executive tried to facilitate the development of industries and commerce by suppressing taxes and payments on patents and trade-marks. Of the former there were 900 definite ones granted, and of the latter about 1,400. From patents and trade-marks was obtained $69,148. INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT Through the Department of Industrial and Commercial Development the attempt has been made to train real mechanics, and for that purpose courses have been organized in soap manufacturing, tanning, hide treating, silk culture, etc., and small industrial enterprises have been aided by subsidizing them and providing them with competent instructors. This work will go on in order to obtain the economic and effective independence of mechanics and industrial workers. EXPLORATIONS AND GEOLOGICAL STUDIES In order to determine the existence of minerals, subterranean waters that might be used for irrigation, and the geological nature of the land, explorations have been made in different States of the Republic, and careful studies and comparisons with similar explorations made in Texas, U. S. A. Various collections of minerals and rocks have been made, as well as classifications concerning them. LABOR In spite of the measures that were taken to avoid them, there were in 1921 in the entire Republic, 5,053 accidents of which 283 were fatal. From January to June of this year there were 1,904 both serious and slight, principally in mining and in metallurgical plants, of which 136 caused death to the workers. Inasmuch as the administrative laws for Article 123 of the Constitution have not yet been drawn up, Government intervention in the conflicts between owners and workers was almost reduced to the category of mere mediation; but notwithstanding that, the Department of Labor has succeeded in preventing a large number of strikes, walk-outs and conflicts, and was able in 1921 to obtain the amount of $106,494.80 as reimbursement for death or incapacity, and $241,081 for aids to workers. From January to June of the current year, between aids and reimbursements more than $160,000 was procured. There have been conflicts between operators and workers now individually, now collectively. As soon as these were reported inspectors were sent to different parts of the country to investigate the working conditions, regulations for factories and shops, regulating laws, working conditions contained in contracts. They also spread information about Savings Banks and Workmen's Coöperative Societies; set up an employment bureau which gave its services free to workers; and prepared statistics of the widest possible variety of facts. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES The verification of weights and measures during the present year went forward without any interruption in the majority of the districts of the Federation. Secondary offices were established in the States of Nuevo León and Tamaulipas; and electrical measuring devices have been adopted with satisfactory results, as well as various other measuring and weighing apparatus. Approximately $20,000 worth of instruments were ordered from abroad. 438,527 registrations and authorizations were made, which yielded $546,662.18, besides $20,908.60 which were collected for fines. There are now eighteen offices working, and some reforms for the Regulative Law on Weights and Measures are being considered. DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIES Eight contracts were signed for the exploitation of salt mines, three for exploitation of guano, and several for that of marble and gypsum on the Isle of San Marcos, Lower California. 539 factories were visited throughout the Republic. The Industrial Directory of the States is about to come from the printer, and soon the Directory for the Federal District will be ready. SECRETARIAT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION The Secretariat of Public Education, created September 5, 1921, performed its duties through the following Departments: SCHOLASTIC DEPARTMENT GENERAL ADMINISTRATION OF PRIMARY AND NORMAL EDUCATION There are under this bureau 60 Upper Primary schools, 50 Elementary schools, 100 Rural, 100 Night schools, 22 Kindergartens, and two Normal schools with their training schools. For the maintenance of these there is available according to the Budget about five and a half million pesos, besides the sum of three million and a half to be devoted to the building up of municipal primary schools. The Administration did what it could to increase the salaries of the teachers, who receive from $3.30 to $10 a day. The scholastic census of the Federal District was ordered and showed that there were 118,000 children of school age. To take care of them there are in the Federal District 263 primary and rural schools, 19 kindergartens, 88 night schools, two day normal schools with training schools annexed, and one night normal school. There were enrolled 102,307 students, with an average attendance of 69,392. ADMINISTRATION OF TECHNICAL, INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL INSTRUCTION This instruction is administered by the Faculty of Chemical Sciences and the following schools: Mechanical and Electric Engineering, Trade and Business for women, Miguel Lerdo de Tejada" School, Corregidora de Querétaro" School, School of "Domestic Instruction," "Doctor Mora" School, and the High School of Commerce and Administration, which was organized this year. Besides the foregoing, the following schools have been endowed: The Gabriela Mistral Home for Young Ladies, The Technical School of Stenography and the School of Master Builders. The School for Railwaymen, the Trade and Business School for Men, are under construction in the Santo Tomás colony. Agreement was made to found the following, but insuperable difficulties have prevented their erection: Technical School for Teachers (maestros), School of Textile Industries, and School of Graphic Arts. 66 In order to procure adequate texts for industrial and commercial instruction, a commission was appointed to compose the respective works, and it is possible that they will be ready to print by the end of this year. There are 13,490 students enrolled in the industrial and commercial schools, for which there is provided by the Budget, the sum of $3,397,235. SECTION OF SCHOOL HYGIENE This Section has been under the Scholastic Department since last April. In the Dental Dispensary, which belongs to it, 9,998 students were cared for from the primary schools; and in the "Doctor Balmis" School a Special Dispensary was established for the treatment of skin diseases. To improve the service, six internes and six nurses were added. FEDERAL ACTIVITIES IN THE STATES It was expected to disburse funds proportionately to the population of the States, up to twelve million pesos, but the condition of the Treasury permitted only six millions to be used in this way. The way the Federal Government intervenes in the States in regard to instruction is by making an agreement with them for the expenditure of certain sums of money in the Elementary, High, Normal, Commercial, Industrial Schools, etc., which are also specified; or at other times the sums are given in the form of subsidies, either annually or monthly. With all the States such agreements have been made, except Chiapas, Coahuila, Sinaloa, Tamaupilas and Vera Cruz. The sums which the Federa tion is to supply on account of these agreements amounts to three and a half million dollars, a good part of which has already been paid over to them. NATIONAL UNIVERSITY The University has charge of preparatory and professional education. "University Code" all the standing legal requirements and programs of study; formulated the fundamental principles of its internal management; established a Summer School to which about five hundred students come, foreigners for the most part; and arranged classes for working men at hours convenient for their work. The University Council settled the questions relative to the titles and degrees conferred in the States and abroad, and in the Faculties of Higher Studies and Jurisprudence organized the necessary studies for obtaining the degrees of Licentiate in Law, Doctor of Law, Licentiate in Social Sciences, and Doctor of Social Sciences. The About two thousand students enrolled in the Preparatory school. system of naming professors by competition was adopted, and they have begun to print texts which fully satisfy the programs of study, and the work in class rooms and laboratories has been broadened. Two hundred and fifty-seven students enrolled in the Faculty of Jurisprudence of whom 104 commenced their studies. In the Faculty of Medicine 1,263 matriculated of both sexes, and the number of professors and assistants was increased. In Odontology there were 94, and various apparatus and instruments were given the Faculty. 183 enrolled with the Faculty of Engineering where they train men to be topographic, hydrographic, metallurgie, civil and mining engineers, and electrical and industrial mechanics. In this branch student excursions were organized to different parts of the Republic to observe petroleum operations, hydraulic works, electrical plants, etc. The Faculty of Chemical Sciences and Industries, which has gained great importance and has laboratories and shops in the town of Tacuba, matriculated 422 students who secured industrial training in soap manufacture, glass making, perfume manufacture, silk culture, pharmaceutic industries, photography, And in the Faculty of Higher Studies, where are trained University Professors, Masters and Doctors, there are 857 students. etc. LIBRARY DEPARTMENT This Department has discharged its duties in establishing popular libraries in the Federal District and in the States. To date it has founded 445 libraries with 61,776 volumes, increased those already existing, to which it gave 17,760 books, carried on cultural propaganda in the country as well as abroad, for which purpose volumes have been sent to divers institutions to the number of 83,630; formulated a plan for Regulations for Public Libraries, and catalogues of modern works which are readily accessible to the public, and founded a library for the Secretariat which already has 10,000 books. It has not failed to watch over the Public Library of the Federal District, so that it never lacks the most recently printed works. DEPARTMENT OF FINE ARTS This Department has based its activities on the theory that it is necessary to diffuse art and culture among the people. Guided by this conception it has tried to preserve, study and increase the archeological treasures which are kept in the Museum (and just recently an entire city was discovered on the slopes of the Cofre de Perote); to gather and preserve by means of the moving picture. the treasure of folklore, such as festivals, native dances, customs, etc.; to develop the artistic capacity in painting, music, and the drama of the greater part of the students; and to make of Mexicans physically strong and vigorous men by beginning with the education of the children, for whom athletic contests have been organized. For the exhibition of skill acquired in the different Fine Arts, 209 festivals have been organized in the capital and in the States, which were participated in by students of the National Conservatory of Music, and groups such as the Feminist Cultural Group, Physical Culture Group, and the Solidity Group of the Workers Movement. DEPARTMENT OF NATIVE EDUCATION AND CULTURE In order to combat illiteracy, agents were sent to the principal native centres of the Republic in order to make reports on their economic and cultural conditions; and on the basis of knowledge thus gained, about a hundred of such |