Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-07-12
Fletcher Warns i. S.
to Go Slow in
RECOGNITION Mexico

Greencastle, Pa, July 11.-(By the
Associated Press)-Warning against
premature recognition of the new
Mexican government was given the
administration today by Henry P.
Fletcher, former ambassador to Mex
leo.
In a letter to cambridge Colby,
secretary of state, he urged that in
no case should the recognition Of the
De Ia Huerta regime be other than
that of a de facto character with the
understanding that even this would
be with drawn should subsequent
events prove that it was premature
ly extended.
Mr.. Fletcher's letter resulted from
negotiations now in progress between
the State department and DR.. Igles-
sioner to the United States. regard
ing recognition of the new govern
ment at Mexico City.
DR.. Calderon has assured the Am
erican government Of the desire of
the new regime to live up to the OBJ
legations of a government, but Mr.
Fletcher, in his letter, suggested that
before any recognition was extended
an informal agreement be made with
the Mexican authorities that Ameri-
can citizens would not be deprived
of their property rights without
compensation and that such property
as they were deprived of during the
Cn xrrifh
ton would be returned to them.
Mr.. Fletcher was American am
bassador to Mexico during the Car
rama administration but resigned
several months ago because of a dis
agreement with the American gov
ernment's' policy towards Mexico.
His letter to Secretary Colby follows:
Second: That the new regime
should be recognized, if at all, merely
as the de facto government. and it
should be informed that such recog-
milton was provisional and would be
withdrawn if it should subsequently
prove to have been prematurely ex-
tended.
Third: That before extending such
de facto recognition we should take
steps to secure an informal agreement
(to later be made formal if desired)
covering the following pending mat
tiers:
"(a) That the constitution Of 1917
and the law passed in pursuance there
of shall not be given retroactive ef-
feet as to property lawfully acquired
previous to it's PRONUNCIATION and that
American citizens shall not be DEPRIVE
ed oftheir lawfully acquired rights
without compensation.
"(b) Return to American citizens
and corporations of such property
Excluding taxes) as they were depriv-
ed Of during the Carranza regime
without compensation by either ma
tional or state governments of Mex
leo.
"(c) Immediate constitution of a
mixed INSTRUMENTATION claims COM
mission to adjust all claims of Amer
lean citizens against the government
Of Mexico and of Mexican citizens
against the government of the United
States.
"(d) Appointment of commission
ers to settle definitely the Cmaaizal
and all other boundary questions in
GLIDING the detection. canalization and
protection Of the waters Of the Colo
RADIO river for the irrigation of the I'm
perial valley in Mexico and in the
United, States. 1 make no mention of
financial or economic matters. believ-
ing they should form the subject mat
ter of negotiations subsequent to rec
ognition.
I'VE should make 1t clear that these
conditions are attached to our recog-
milton merely because our unfortunate
experiences with the Carranza govern
ment make them appear necessary to
avoid a future trouble and. above all,
that we are not asking for our nation
ais a privileged position, but simply
Justice" -+