The sun., 1919-08-30
MEXICAN CATHOLICS |
OPPOSE U. S. ENTRY
Archbishop Says They Are
Strongly Against Armed
Intervention.
PAPER SCORES U. S. POLICY
Car1anZa Directs Ambassador
to Deny Charge Made by
DIR. Altendorf.

Mnx1co CITY, Aug. 2s.-Mgr. Jose
Moray Del Rio, Archbishop of Mexico
and the highest prelate OF the Catholic
Church in the republic, says in an In
terview published by FL Democratic to-
day that the Catholic clergy of Mexico
strongly oppose armed Intervention and
are seeking in no way to ally themselves
with parties favoring Intervention.
Excelsior in an editorial to-day sharply
criticises the United States for it's "vacil-
lating policy" toward Mexico, which thus
far. 1t says, has only given stimulus to
attacks upon the Government
Ygnacio Bonillas, Mexican Ambassa-
dor to the United States, has been d.
rected by President Carranza to deny
statements accredited to DR.. Paul Ber-
nado Altendorf. a Pole who served in
the United States Military Intelligence
Department during the war. TO the effect
that DR.. Altendorfacted as intermediary
between Heinrich Won Eckhardt. the Ger
man Minister to Mexico. and President
Carranza. DR.. Altendorf's statements
were published by the newspapers here,
having been received from special cor
respondents In the United Stats. Senior
Bonillas also Is instructed to deny all
other assertions of DR.. Altendorf con-
corning the Chief Executive.
The individual is unknown to me-
the President said to-day in a state
ment regarding Altendorf's disclosures,
and probably Is of unbalanced mind
Luis Cabrera, Secretary of the Treas
ury. 1t was stated authorltatively to-day,
Will voice the views of the executive de-
partment Of the Government during the
coming debate on petroleum legislation
In the Mexican Congress. Senior Ca
brera was quoted as declaring that the
authors Of the oil laws presented yester-
day In report to the Senate, were rep
resentatives of oil interests. This law
eliminates the retroactive features which
have been the chief points objected to as
coniiscatory by foreign oil interests.
A statement was furnished the Associ-
ated Press tonight by Leon Salinas. act
ing Secretary of Industry and Commerce
which department has charge Of petro-
leum matters, declaring that. judging
from press dispatches, recent statements
by his department on the Government'e
stand in regard to the legal aspects OF
Article II of the Constitution and Presi-
dent CarranZa's proposals OF last No
vember had been misinterpreted by the
OIL Producers Association.
II have never said that the projected
law would be retroactive In effect" he
said. but I have said and still maintain
that l understand the meaning OF the
word 'retroactivity' to be very differen,
from the construction placed upon II by
the OIL Producers Association. The as
ISOLATION. under the meaning It gives
this word. claims that laws are immuta-
BILE and that We have no right to change
them. even II the changes are In the gen.
eral interest, Since l believe that a free
people has the absolute right to enact
laws which give the greatest aid to its
development. l cannot agree with the
oil association, which only defends Its
own privileged situation. nor can agree
to Its Interpretation Of words'