even now been given only temporary repair. Mexican railroads lost about 10,000 freight cars and 400 locomotives during the revolution. Large numbers of freight cars were burned or wrecked and, in order to encourage getting those that could be repaired back into use at an early date, a plan was adopted through which any concern might reconstruct cars at its own expense, receiving in return the right to control them for its own use for a period usually of one to two years.[1] American railroad lines allowed their freight cars to go into Mexico when bonds were given for their safe return. On October 15, 1920, the Pullman Company began letting its cars enter the country without this restriction.[2] An arrangement made with the American Railway Association on January 1, 1920, allowed a large number of freight cars to be taken across the border and the Mexican government announced its desire to set aside $30,000,000 Mexican to purchase additional rolling stock.[3] On June 1, 1921, President Obregón appointed a personal representative to introduce improvements in the handling of traffic.[4] Though congestion of freight at the ports still continued to be a serious problem, at least the first steps had been undertaken toward reëstablishment of that standard of communications reached at the end of the Diaz régime.
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MEXICO AND ITS RECONSTRUCTION
