New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-15
Hughes to Aid
u. s. Investors
In Other Lands
Policy Discouraged Under
Wilson.Brya1. Regime To
Be Revived for Benefit of
American Business Men
Legal Interests Guarded
Lamont's Consultation Upon
Mexican Finances Also
Covers European Affairs
By Carter Field

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14.-Thomas
w. Lamonts conference with Secretary
of State Hughes on the finances of
Mexico is not only of the highest i'm
portance with regard to the Mexican
problem, it developed to-day, but is
significant of the complete change in
the relations between the United States
government and Americans having in
terests abroad.
1t was made known at the State De-
partment that Mr.. Hughes desires to
be Informed whenever Americans pro-
pose to invest money abroad or in
any way to assume interests in for
eign countries. No formal announce
ment has been made, and probably none
will be made, but the truth is there
has been a return to the "dollar di-
plomacy," which William Jennings
Bryan worked so hard to bring into
disrepute.
No promises are being made in ad-
vance that Americans who are con-
sidering buying concessions abroad, or
doing business abroad, will be given
advice by the department, or that they
will be protected after they have made
the venture. On the other hand there
is no demand on the part of the State
Department for the right to veto such
investments.
Will Encourage Investor Abroad
The department merely wishes to be
informed of such affairs, it was stated
by high official. Between the lines,
however, it is easy to read that so far
from regarding the American who
wishes to take a step which would lead
to profit for himself and the building
up of American exports as criminal,
the government here proposes to en-
courage him and give him what pro-
lection may be obtained, always on the
assumption and after being convinced
his projects are in strict accord with
justice and honor to every one con-
cerned, and in line with the laws of
the country in which the concession
is located, as we'll as international law
A spokesman of the Administration
to-day, being questioned as to just how
far the new policy extended, declined
to be more specific in his outline than
this much, though he indicated that the
department would like to be informed
not only of semi-public but of strictly
private investments made in other
countries.
Incidentally, the department, as the
result of such policy, will know pre-
cisely just what the American interests
in various foreign counaries are at all
times. In the event of a crisis in any
given country, or when that country is
proposing some new laws which might
interfere with the operations of Ameri-
can interests, or handicap them in q
way which would work an injustice, in
view of the understanding on which
the concessions were acquired, the de-
partment would be able to protest per-
haps in time not only to protect the
Americans, but perhaps before it would
be embarrassing for the foreign gov
ernment TO recede.
Avoids Foreign Complications
Very often the experience of the
department has been that American
investors were badly hurt by action of
foreign government before the ag-
grieved parties realized what was hap
pening, and before the State Depart
ment knew that the rights or Americans
were being trampled upon. With the
thing accomplished the foreign govern
ment frequently faced embarrassment
in its home political situation which
would ensue if it's actions, taken per-
haps with fare of trumpets at home,
should have to be reversed apparently
at the demand of stronger power.
There is great interest here, aside
from the wider significance of Mr.. La
mont's talk with Secretary Hughes, in
what Mr.. Lamont may accomplish with
regard to the Mexican debt. Repre-
senting, as he does, the interests of
practically every country which holds
any of the Mexican bonds. his mission
assumes almost worldwide mpor-
tance. 1t is of interest not only to the
United States and the. Obregon govern
ment, but to almost sry chsnceilery