New-York tribune., 1921-12-12
Mexican Land
PolicyReversal
Is Predicted
Estrada Demands Right to
End Confiscatory Meth
ods Before He Will Accent
Proffered Cabinet Post
Protect Private Owners
Radical Change in Carranza
Edlct Would Benefit In.
dividual and Not Glass

MEXICO CITY, Dec. II (By The AS.
sociated Press) General Enrique Es
trada, who has been asked by President
Obregon to assume the post of Secre.
tary of Agriculture, said to-day he
would accept only if the President gave
him complete authority to work out 8
new land policy radicaIfy different from
the "antiquated" conhscatory policy
which has been much criticized by for,
eign interests.
General Estrada proposes, in effect
that land hereafter shall not be taken
from private owners and given to COM
munities except by due process of law
He emphasizes his belief that the "gifts
of nature" cannot be acquired as COM
mon property in absolute und unlimited
form, and continues:
"Private ownership of Yancs should be
subject to rules imposed by the neces-
sity and requirements of the masses, the
original owners, but I do not admit the
advisability of common ownership, and
am fully convinced that the system of
private ownership, conditional and in
accordance with the system established
by our constitution now IN force, is the
only rational and just method capable
Of causing the earth to render the larg-
est possible production"
This pronouncement is greeted by
the newspapers as foreshadowing a
complete reversal of the federal agree
rian policy and modification Of the con-
fiscatory clause Of Article 27 of the
Carranza constitution. Despite the Of
fetal declaration that General Vii
lareaps retirement from the Agricul-
ture post meant no change in policy.
many observers assert that General
spired and that he doubtless will be
designated to carry out the new pro-
gram.
General Estrada describes his solu-
tion of the problem as "an imperative
necessity created by modern condi-
tions, decision of which, above all, will
be in harmony with the exgencies of
the times" He insists that the prob
lem must be dealt with justly and con-
servatively, "to the interests of the
whole country and not to the satisfac-
ton Of only one class"
Must Reward Individual
Estrada insists that individual eff.
fort must be rewarded. He continues
"If President Obregon reposes suf-
ficient confidence in me to appoint me
Secretary of Agriculture, I think that
the system of transferring the land to
such towns and the request for allot-
ment and legal right to it should be
continued, but only on purely con-
stituticnal basis, without repeating the
error of deceiving ourselves by think
ing that this alone constitutes a solu-
ton of the agrarian problem and or
ganic peace of the country, which is
our chief duty.
"In my judgment the Department OF
Agriculture should face the agrariar
question squarely, without deception
or mystification. A solid legal basis
should be established for the future
and in the spirit of the constitution
for the restoration and transfer OF
lands to the towns, patiently legalizine
every step in the procedure. If the
welfare of the republic is to be con.
sidered we must not indefinitely post.
pone the issues involved by the sou-
tion of the problem"