Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-03-21
STATE DEPARTMENT
ORDERS INQUIRY OF
LAND DEAL BY JAPS
Syndicate Is Said to Have
Acquired Title to $780,
600 Acres.
TRACT FRONTS ON BORDER
OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Violation of the Covenants of
Monroe Doctrine Is
Feared.
RECALLS MAGDALENA AFFAIR
Belief Exists That Oricntals Arc
Back OF Plan to Obtain Naval
Base i'm Mexico.
TRACT FRONTS ON BORDER
OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
RECALLS MAGDALENA AFFAIR
Belief Exists That Oricntals Arc
lack OF Plan to Obtain Naval
Base i'm Mexico.

WASHINGTON. March oO-Ncgo;ia-
mons said 70 have been undertaken bv
the California and Mexican Land Com.
pany 10 sell 10 japanese syndicate
Soe,eoo acres Of land In Mexico front
ing upon the California border have
been ordered Investigated by the state
Department,
inc information concerning the pro-
posed deal lwhich is in possession OF tho
department indicates that the sale OF
Inc land would be Il distinc, violation
Of the Monroe Doctrine. II would
also be in contravcnt!on of the Lodge
resolution which the Senate adopted
Two years ago. This resolution.
although it does not have the force OF
statute. warns foreign governments
against making purchases OF land on
this continent.
INC state Department from California
by Senator James u. Phelan. who repre-
aentcd TO the department that the dea!
vas practically concluded, and that
the japanese syndicate had been
organized 10 take over the land for
colonization purposes The Senator
Immediate steps TO prevent the deal
from being contaminated.
INVESTIGATION TO BEGIN
AT ONCE, SAYS STATEMENT
Acting Secretary Polk received Sena-
tor Phclan's protest today and at once
tolegraphed to the Senator TO tho ef-
feet That an investigation will be made
81 once II was announced at the
will go TO the bottom Of the matter.
end Will ascertain il there is any con-
nection between the syndicate and the
government OF Japan.
II IT should be established that the
Japanese government Is in any way
associsicd with the syndicate the duty
Gf the United states In the matter
would plainly be to register a formal
against the acquisition OF the land,
In view OF the friendly relations.
between Japan and the United States.
there Is no disposition on the part Of
government officials TO ke comment
on the facts disclosed by Senator fhe-
Ian. One official. however. said that
* was absolutely certain that because
Of the existence OF the Lodge rcsoiu-
would go very deep and would prob
ably involve Investigation in Japan.
This latter step would he necessary
TO ascertain whether the japanese
syndicate had any government sane
ton.
MAGDALENA AFFAIR
IS NOW RECALLED
L, is believed that in view of the
wide discussion of the rights OF for
cign syndicates at the time of the
Magdalena affair. which provoked the
Lodge resolution. a Japanese syndi-
catc would not attempt to force a
deal which was barred by the resoiu-
lion. IL was a matter of surprise to
officials that either American or Japa-
nesc interests should have SO soon
forgotten the attitude of all political
parties against foreign colonization
schemes
There is one consideration, however,
which was discussed by officials to the
effect ri'"' r Japan. as is suspected, is
behind scheme she can only deal
in three Nttys:
]. She can challenge the Monroe
Doctrine and the Lodge resolution as
affecting her citizens in Mexico.
.. She can answer the United States
that Il there be a question at all for
international discussion it must be be-
tween Mexico and Japan
MAY QUESTION RIGHT
OF U. y. TO START PROBE
:; Japan may not admit the right
II the United States to take issue with
its citizens who own land in Mexico
TO sell to Japanese citizens, and IL
the deal is to be broken off 1t must
be by mandate of the United States 10
her own citizens TO abide by the Mon
roc Doctrine and the Lodge resolution.
IL is generally believed that IL will
be shown ultimately that the syndi-
cate is operating for some branch of
the Japanese government. Japan has
sought for at least twenty years har-
Dor concession by private syndicates
somewhere on the Mexican or Lower
California coast.