Today in the Sobel Timeline: May 13

On May 13, 1920, the lower house of the Mexican Congress, the Assembly, passed President Emiliano Calles' Manumission Act by a voice vote, despite the objections raised to it by Assemblyman Pedro Fuentes of Chiapas. Fuentes called the act "legal theft," recited the history of slavery in the United States of Mexico, then pointed at Assemblyman Hernando Cromwell and shouted, "We know who is behind you in this! It is Kramer Associates, more particularly Douglas Benedict! Kramer gold put you where you are, and Kramer gold is buying manumission for the administration! You were elected on a pledge to retain slavery, and now you have conveniently changed your mind! I challenge you to tell us why you have so acted!" Cromwell simply smiled and shrugged his shoulders, and proceeded with the voice vote.