The Washington herald., 1920-12-01
MEXICO GETS
OK. K.IFTREATY
is EFFECTED
Secretary Colby Demands
Safeguard for American
interests.
INVOLVES OIL AFFAIR
Letter Sent by Pesqueira Is
Result of Agreement in
Conferences Here.

Secretary of State Colby last
night made public the text of a
letter to Robert Pesqueira, special
envoy from Mexico. inviting the
Mexican government to agree to a
Joint commission to draft a new
treaty between the United States
and Mexico as a preliminary to rec
ognition by this government.
The Secretary's communication
points out that the formulation Of
new treaty is necessary to guar
antee the protection of American
property rights in Mexico against
the retroactive clauses Of the Mex
ican constitution.
The letter is in reply to the COM
munication which Pesqueira filed
with the State Department a few
weeks ago in which assurances
were given that the new regime in
Mexico would adopt no retroactive
measures against American prop
.erty interests. A copy of It was
given to Pasqueira a few days ago
and he departed Immediately for
Mexico where Secretary Coiby's an
swer will be made public today
when President-eiect obregon takes
the oath of office.
Rceognition Must Wait.
While the communication of Sec
retary Colby contains the first def
mite propositions that have been
made in President Wilson's two ad-
ministrations concerning the Amer
lean policy toward Mexico. and
while 1t is generally looked upon as
paving the way for recognition. IL
spells the defeat OF all hopes that
the Obregon government would OBJ
tain recognition during President
Wilson's administration. II was for
this purpose that George Creel re-
Gently went, to Mexico accompanied
by Pesquiera- The position taken
by Secretary Colby. however. that
there must be q treaty between the
1.-TWO goverfmehts fnakes Il apparent
that there can be no formal tender
Of recognition during President
Wilson's term.
Secretary Colby lays stress on the
assurances to him by Pesqueira
that both Provisional President de
la Huerta and President-elect OBJ
regon have declared substantially
that Article % of the Carranza con-
stitution sis not and must not be
interpreted as retroactive or viola
tive of valid property rights. This
is the article which has been the
storm center of all the protests
and arguments of all vested in
1xy
of the great oil interests.
Department officials indicate that
as Pesqueira must have been talk
ing oficially for de la Huerta and
Obregon, il will be an easy matter
for the new government to agree
promptly to the appointment OF
commissioners to negotiate a new
treaty" 1t is the understanding
that the treaty will teNtually make
declarations in consonance with the
statements Of Pesqueira to the
State Department.
Result of Conferences.
If the Mexican government ac-
cepts the Colby letter as a basis
for agreement, both Mexico and the
United States will Immediately ap-
point their respective commission
ers to make the new treaty.
Pesqueira came here about two
months ago. He had many confer
ences with Secretary OF State Colby
and the department officials in a
private capacity. In the letter to
Colby he is described as "confiden-
tial agent of MeXica."
The public discussion of the
Mexican business with Pesqueira is
not in any way a recognition of
Mexico but it paves the way for
such. The United States has a
charge d'affaires at Mexico City,
who has been invited officially to
attend the obregon. inaugural cere-
monies.