Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-03-22
LAND DEAL OF JAPS
AR0USES SENATORS
State Department Demands Full
Explanation of Proposal
to Sell.
WARNINGS ARE RECALLED
Government Seeking to Deter
mine Whether Oriental Nation
Is Behind Negotiations.
WARNINGS ARE RECALLED

"ASHlNGTON. March ol.-Thc State
department today dema ndcd OF the
California and Mexican Land Company.
OF Los Angeles. Cal, a full explanation
OF It's reported proposal to sell TO a
Japanese syndicate 100000 acres of
iand in Mexico fronting upon the Cali
fornia border
nittention Of the land company was
carr! warnings to foreign govern
ments against making land purchase
',ns or .n,i .niS co c45n.tInen,. These documents
anu Pur"hasc of Land on Magdalera
Ray. Ihey were adopted by Tho Sen
atc at the time Of the Magdalena af-
several additional telcIrams from
TTHnahtor Tnn;h pheian. OF California. giving
.WmTtncT m-. information on the plan TO
allo" Japan "A foothoid in Lower CALI
ttorhia. have been received By the State
department This. information. with
Ttner I. adfice! the department has. con-
QUESTION or the large tract Of land t.,
M"Sico oE Japanese interests would be
:. pam violation of the Monroe Doc
tnst t9nsm:nmation Of the scheme would
aiso he IN contravention of the Lodge
,h, sena,e Hi,ai Sei;,iing ;,i, forth the policy of
oniZation in the Americas
ILAN 10 I'Rr:N ENT ANY
~ lNTIiER NEGOTISrIONS
Mep' csc natives OF the state Depart
thorough Investigation of the p.onoseJ
ueai The department is chiefly CON
erred over the question OF whether
90 ho' the Japanese government ia
back or the syndicate. Should II an
pear. however. ;hat there is no visible
eonhcct!on between the Japa nose gov
ernment and the syndicate. il is ccr-
tain that con suinma;ion OF the trans
a'Iion VIII no; be perinittcd
ac,,n ..ate Department's determined
which would arise from compietion OF Of
The purchase is based on the Lodge
s s..o'ut'1n which was ratified by the
semRts mR". lug Augus1 A ?. 1872 i; follows:
or other place in the American CONT
lent is SO situated tina, the occupa /.
pnrDosns f,1m snereot OF, for naval or military
mun'cai.ons or the safety of tho
United States the government Of the
United states could not see. without
haroor or other place by any corpora
iion or association which has such
,elatlon TO another government not
American. AS to give that government
traditional power of control for naval
o. military purposes"
DEAL INVOLVES FART
OF MILLt0N-ACRE TRACT
The holdings which arc involved in
NE dea' are owned by the estate Of
General Harrison Gray Otis. late owner
Q: the Los Angeles Times. and his SON
n-law. Harry Chandler. The land was
ACQUIRED number OF years ago. and
consists OF 100000 acres in ali. a
portion OF which is on the California
side OF the Colorado River and the
balance on the Mexican side. Ii is
the 100000 acres on the Mexican side
which il IS said the owners OF the
land company are willing 10 sell to
Japanese interests.
Among Senators who are familiar
with Pacific coast affairs and with
the japanese ambitions with respect t.
gaining focthold on this continent
the revelations of the projected sale
OF lands aroused great resentment
They expressed surprise not only that
Japan should seek TO establish a COLONY
on Mexican soil in defiance OF the
plain language of the Lodge resolu-
ton and the Monroe Doctrine but
that American citizens should be will
ing TO dispose of their holdings in
Mexico. for Sucn "A purDOSe