New-York tribune., 1921-06-08
Decision Reached ait Cab.
met Meeting Defines
Terms ON Which Obre.
gon May Make Treat
End Military Rule
In Santo Domingo
Harding to Issue Procla.
nation Soon; Troops to
Withdraw i'm 8 Months
By Carter Field


WASHINGTON, June T.-Respec5
for American property rights n
Mexico is the only possible basis for
friendly relations between the two
republics, it was announced after to-
days Cabinet meeting. President
Obregon Of Mexico, was notified that
he could sign treaty with this gov
ernment recognizing all legal titles
to property in Mexico held by Amer
leans at any time he desired. II
was pointed out that the consumma-
tion of such treaty would in Itself
be official recognition of his govern
ment, so that no other official action
would be necessary.
Decision to end American military
rule in Santo Domingo as speedily
as possible also was reached at the
meeting. A proclamation will De
issued soon outlining the steps to be
taken. Briefly, these will cover
merely the necessary precautions in
connection with the withdrawal CT
the American forces, and the trans
ference Of the government to a
proper government, with the neces-
sary safeguards on property rights.
The State Department expects the
entire process to be completed within
eight months.
Surprises in Program
There were two big surprises IN
the decision as to the Mexican policy.
One was the extreme firmness of the
Administration attitude which re-
suited in Secretary of the Interior
Fall leaving the Cabinet meeting
with his face wreathed in smiles.
The other was the simplicity of tho
proceedings necessary in case Presi4
dent Obregon should decide to yield
to the American contentious.
All that Obregon has to do, accord
ing to government officials, is to sign
a treaty recognizing the validity of all
legal and proper American claims rec
ognized as legal prior to the promul-
CATION Of the so-called constitution
Of 1917. This is the Constitution which
has raised so much controversy be-
cause section of it seemed to give thu
Mexican government the right to ma
tionalize all properties of certain
sort, including. particularly, mining
properties. The adoption of the con-
stitution was followed by certain de-
crces of the Carranza government
which seemed to leave little doubt that
it was the intention of the Mexicans
to confiscate properties which had be-
longed to foreign, including American.
interests, for many years. In some in
stances the times dated back to tho
sovereignty of Spain, some of them be-
ing 200 years old.
1t is believed here that General Obre-
gon will not hesitate long about sign
ing a treaty with this government, since
American recognition is regarded a.
very vital to the continuance, for any
considerable period, of his administra-
tion in power. Furthermore, the sign
ing Of the treaty will merely be put
ting into formal writing what some OF
the Mexican spokesmen have been
claiming all along was the truth-that
the 1917 Constitution was not intended
to mean confscation for existing nat
ural resources at all, but merely the
declaration of a policy toward natural
resources SO far undeveloped.
Obregon's Position Understood
1t was pointed out by an admins
tration spokesman that for Obregon
to decline such a treaty IS is now pro-
posed by Secretary Hughes would mean
that Obregon held the opinion that the
Constitution of 1917 was meant to con-
fiscate titles TO natural resources which
up to that time had been recognized
as ~Mish lsgsl, a country holding such =
view" an Administration spokesman
declared, "this government, of course,
could have no relations, formal or
otherwise. This is not q olestion be-
tween this government and 0bregon, or
any other person. 1t is fundamental
question of the relations between the
United States and Mexico. That musg
be understood by the American people
and the Mexicans. Il would stin appiv
no matter if A, B, C or D were at the
head Of the Mexican government"
NO government, it was declared in
very positive terms, could permit an
other government to destroy the prop
erty of its nationals. The much dis.
cussed rights in advance of recogni+
tlon were not adopted it was said. be
cause OF the necessity OF having an
agreement between the countries on
this point of the recognition of prop
erty rights. So the only nlan whica
THIS government can approve is q treaty
WITH Mexico, which may be concluded
with Obregon or with some successor
who Is willing to recognize that his
country has no right to confiscata
property. or TO make retroactive laws
WIN respect to natural resources.
Text of Hughes's Statement
The text OF Secretary Hughes's state.
ment OF the American policy follows:
Inc fundamental question which
confronts the government OF the United
states an considering its relations wit
Aexico IS the safeguarding of propertv
rights against .coniscation. Mexico A.