New-York tribune., 1921-01-07
Harding Plans
Early End for
Mexico Muss
President-Elect Gives Great
Deal of Attention to Neigh
boring Ccuntry's Affair, j.,
Foreshadowed by Address
Commission a Probability
Unchallenged Authority Has
1t That Recognition of
Obregon Will Come Soon
from q sto0 Correspondent

from Sto1 Correspondent
MARION, Ohio. Jan. 6.-An under
standing with Mexico will be one OF
the first objectives of the Harding Ad-
ministration. This is learned on un-
questioned authority. Even now. it is
said, c.ose advisers of Senator HARDING
have been instructed by him to study
the Mexican situation, with view to
early adjustment eliminating in recoe.
nition of the government headed by
President Obregon
President Harding's plan for
treating with the Obrcgon government
provides, first, 1or q series of friendly
conversations between Alberto Pant.
Obregon's representative at Washing
ton. and either the Secretary OF State
Of the Harding Cabinet or a repre-
sentative of him. to determine whether
a joint commission would be necessary
to a settlement.
1t is fully expected that such & COM
mission will be needed, and in all like
lihood some of the men who have acted
as Senator Harding's advisers on Mex
lean affairs will be asked to serve on it.
Falls Availability
The chairman probably will be SEN
ator Albert B. Fall, of New Mexico, the
Senate's authority on Mexican affairs.
Another who has been suggested is
former Attorney General George W.
Wlckersham, who is the representative
of the American stockholders of Mex
ican railroads. John Hays Hammond,
the mining engineer, has been men
toned Tor this commission, and so has
James Speyer, who would represent the
banking group most heavily interested
IN an early settlement of affairs be-
tween the republics.
One Of the principal tasks Of the
MeXlcans and Americans on this body
VIII be to interpret articles o. the
Mexican constitution that are chiefly
RESPONSIBLE for the withholding of rec
ogf l,ion by the Wilson Administration.
Article q of the Mexican constitution.
for example, says that sub-soil rights
are the property Of the Mexican ma
ton. Ihls was an amendment adopted
IN February, 1917, under the direction
Of Carranza. 1t will be the task of the
commission to determine whether this
The Mexicans have alwavs said nm
officially that this article was not ;n-
tended to be retroactive, but up to
this time they have fa''ed to make
this Interpretation official.
Interviews Often Sought
In his speech accepting the nonina-
ton Senator Harding caught the ear of
Mexican leaders when he said:
oil ror
path to righteous relationship with
Mexico: 1t has seemed to me that our
vndeveloped, uncertain and infirm pol
Icy has made us a culpable party to
the governmental misfortunes in that
land. Oui relations ought to be both
friendly and sympathetic; we would
like to acclaim a stable government
there and lend a neighborly hand in
pointing the way to greater progress.
There must be that under
standing else there can be no recogni-
tion, and then the understanding must
be faithfully kept"
livered last July until the present,
Mexican emissaries have sought inter
vlews with Senator Harding. Even
Obrcgon himself has tried to meet and
talk with the Pres dent-elect In this
he had the assistance Of Senator Fall.
When President-elect Harding was at
Brownsville, Tex, at the start of his
post election vacation Senator Fall
went there, bringing a representative
Of the Mexican Foreign Office who bore
an IN. .-.ion to Mr.. Harding to at
tend the inauguration of President
Obregon. or if this should not be pos
sible to meet President Obregon at
Vera Cruz. President Obregon also
was willing and anxious to meet the
future President Of Mexico's powerful
northern neighbor on American soil.
No Word From Wilson
Senator Harding. urged by Senator
Fall, WAS inclined to stop over at Vera
Cruz on his way to Panama, but he did
not want to cause President Wilson
any annoyances by visiting a country
with which the United States has no
formal diplomatic relations. An effort
was made to get the White House to
suggest that such visit by the Pres
ident-elect was desirable for it's effect
on the relations of the two republics,
but there was only silence at the
White House and Mr.. Harding declined
the invitation.
Since his return to the United States
Senator Harding has discussed Mexican
affairs twice with Senator Fal! and
once with Jamcs Speyer. 1t Is under
stood that Senator Harding feels that
the United States has never had salts
that with President Obrcgon in Office
Of half century to seek a solid foun-
dation for the future.
RooIy N,I,,,J -, G1OO O0n