The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-04-01
State Department
Begins Inquiry Into
Mexican Land Deal
Direct Conflict of Attitude Be-
tween Mexico and United
States Exists at Outset Of
Investigation.

Washington, March 31.--The state
DEB ar tinent today began a vigorous
inquiry into the reports from Mexico
that Japanese. without japanese OFF,
ciai sanction, are colonizlng in MEX
leo, in fragrant defiance OF the Mon
roe doctrine.
That such plans are afoot are borne
out by the admission of the Mexlcaa
secretary OF agriculture, General
-Atnaosa Aguirre. puoilslieI today. midi
eating that concessions bad been rnads
80 corn corpuorations ia Lower t.salt-
lorna.
Inc state department began it's in
quiry To-Day by TeIe gTa phinE to the
AieNtcan Lana company, reqn esiAAg
an answer To tile department $ in-
auiry of about ten days ago for the
iacLs OF its reported intention 10 sell
So0,9oe acres OF land in Lower C-a4-
fornt2 10 a Japanese syndicate.
The American corporation appar-
entity ignored the inquiry of the de-
paftmieltt, but W hen the IA eAican gov
ernnaani aussaiit Asd thai CONCESSIONS
mad been granted in Lower Cllifornia
to Japanese. the depsr InieGt e. was
obliged 10 make a question OF the
matter with The Los Angeles concern.
At the same time Acting Secretary Of
state Philips teiegrapaed the Amer
.san embassy at mexico City TO send
all the information available as 10
concessions and coacess. olialres.
The following statement was issued
By MIR. Phillips:
PHILLIPS STATEMENT.
The STATE department has no off,
eiaf information on The subject OF con-
lessons said To have been granted
ny the Mexican government TO Japa-
Iesa corporations for The expIolts1 ion
fof agricultural lands In Lower Cali
foraia- The newspaper report pub
1ished this NOR ning Is not clear on the
subject, ana the department has in-
gtructed The embassy at Mexico City
TO report the actual facts and circum-
stances OF the case. Nothing appear
Ing In aenor Aguarrss interview def
nltaiy idensltles LAC spnressaorA 4 tie9ess
to lave been granted with ANY portion
OF Ihe tract OF the California McKee,
Land com any. of Los Angeles"
1t Is TO get come definite statemen,
from that company as 10 its negotia-
tons that the department Is anxious &c
get the facts from the Los Angeles
concern.
| The silence OF tho company and the
statements of the Mexican govern.
nent have made the situation very
/ PEI picking to ali government officials
here, II is satl mat the Los AftEsaes
company was Informed ten years age
thai il could not make leases with
r Japanese in Lower California, and
ssonly recently -~uor Pheian advise.
! the state department OF reoE,entas
of such negotia tons between the com.
pany and japanese.
1t Is asserted hy the Mexican secre.
tary OF agriculture that the govern
ment CT Mexico cancelled foreigners
rights TO concessions which hey Ia.
oftLafEed AS, early as 1854, land tina
the larAs had been practically combs
Gated by the Mexican government
II was pointed cut today as one o.
the preplexities or the varying sto
rles that IL the Mexican goverurn eli
took over these lsUdss as alleged, un
der the constitution OK 1917. the par
played by the Los Angeles company !,
"a mysterious one.
Il UNIFIED SIAEsS PROTESTS
! The most serious feature OF thu
present development is that thu
united States protested vigorously Il
J the Mexican government when
main tanned that under the constitn
tioa OF 1917 it could cancel American
concessions. Mexico, however. &C
cor6ing to the statements of Genera