The Washington herald., 1913-09-25
MEXICAN CLAIMS
NOT TO BE PAID
Settlements VIII Be Very
Difficult, According to
Precedent.
BRYAN CITES INSTANCES
Amounts Involved Are So Vast that
Americans May as Well
Forget Claims.

President Huerta has begun to discuss
with members Of the Diplomatic Corps
in Mexico plans for arranging a settle
ment of the foreign claims against the
Mexican government growing out Of the
disorders of the last three years.
President HueTta proposes to have ap-
pointed a commission which shall pass
upon the claims of all foreigners against
the Federal government of Mexico.
Pressure is being exerted in many quar-
ters in favor of having this commission
international in character. instead OF
purely a Mexican body. and it is under
stood that HueTta himself is inclined to
follow this suggestion, IL he finds II can
be worked out satisfactorily.
While the United States government
has not rendered any formal opinion on
the subject, il is known that an inteTna-
tional claims commission, including in its
membership representatives of the most
important governments with interests in
Mexico, is the only kind of a commission
which will be satisfactory to this govern
ment.
Mexico Would Ask Majority.
II is thought that a commission Of five
or seven members would be the most sat
isfactory. II is quite certain that, be-
sides the United States, Great Britain,
France, Germany, and Spain would be
certain to demand adequate representa-
ton upon such a body. Mexico would.
OF course, demand larger representa- tinn
than any other one country, IL not in
fact a majority representation. Such
questions have not yet been raised, how
ever, as it is recognized that IL will be a
long time before Mexico will be in a
petition to do anything with the subject
OF claims.
SO widespread have been the disorders,
and so demOraliZed the state of Mexico
even up TO this moment, that only guess
Is can be made as to the amount of
claims for damages which will be pre-
scnted on behalf OF foreigners. One esti-
mate, made by an American in Mexico
City. who is as competent as any one in
the country to make. such an estimate,
puts the total OF American losses, in act
ual damage. as a result OF the revolu-
tiUns, at $ll0OOO.OO0
1t is expected that Mexico will in
woke the same principle of information
al law as was laid down by the Spanish
Claims Commission of the United
States, which was 10 the effect that the
parent government is not to be held
responsible for losses suffered by for
eigners because of a revolution which
has gone beyond the control OF the
government. In other words, Il is
likely that American and other claim
ants will have TO show that the Mex
lean government could have prevented
the losses suffered by them II they had
taken sufficiently energetic and pre-
cautionary measures.
Claimants Are Warned.
Indication of the part which this
principle of control will play has been
given already by Secretary Bryan him
self. and should serve as a warning TO
Americans who have suffered losses in
Mexico as to what they may expect in
the way OF damage payments. In a
letter to Americans who left the Yaqui
Valley. in Sonora, replying to their
request for protection of their prop
critics during their absence. Mr. Bryan
wrote:
1t frequently has been held that a
sovereign is not ordinarily responsible
to alien residents for injuries they may
receive within his territories from in
sIlrEents whose conduct he cannot con-
troll"
1t is obvious. of course, that the Mex
lean government will be more desirous
than any one else to invoke this prin-
ciple, to fend of probable claims. and
Mr.. Bryan's words indicate that in so
doing the Mexicans will have the sup
port of the United States in rejection
of American claims on such grounds.
1t is predicted here that SO vast are
the amounts involved. and so weak the
condition of Mexico. that Americans
might almost as well forget that they
have any claims against Mexico, as it
is unlikely that most of them will ever
be awarded damages. or that payments