Evening star., 1923-05-24
MEXICAN TREATY
h WILL Be BINDING
u. S. ENJOYS Empowered to
Make Definite Reeogni-
ton Agreement.
8y the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
MEXICO CITY, May 24.-Should the
United States and Mexican delegates
to the prerecognition conference.
which is in session here with the pur-
pose of attempting to remove OBJ
stacles in the way of recognition of
the Obregon administration by the
United States, solve the problem. the
agreement reached would be binding
upon both the United States and
Mexican governments, it is authori
lately learned here.
The credentials exchanged at the
inaugural session of the conference
empower Ramon Ross and Senior
Gonzales Roa and Charles b. Warren
and John Barton Payne to act, re-
spectively, as personal representa-
tives of President Obregon and Presi-
dent Harding and also bind both gov
ernments to observe any agreement
which the delegates may reach.
Whether such an agreement would
be substitute for the treaty of
amity and commerce which the
United States first suggested remains
a subject for speculation.
Change Bill.
The failure of the senate yesterday
20 take up the petroleum legislation
recently enacted by the chamber of
deputies was taken as confirmation
of reports that the Mexican admins
tration is making changes in this
bill intended to meet objections to it
expressed by the foreign petroleum
interests when the chamber of depu-
ties approved the measure last month.
The three main points developed
during the first seven sessions of the
mixed commission centered about the
understandings reached at the con-
ference last year in Washington be-
tween Secretary of State Hughes and
Adolfo de Ia Huerta. Mexican secre-
tary of the treasury. These points
were resumption of payments on
foreign debt obligations, satisfactory
indemnification for appropriated lands
and settlement of the petroleum con-
troversy resulting through the al
legged retroactive and confiscatory in
terpretations of article q of the
Mexican constitution of 1917.
Insists on Rights.
During the presentation of the case
of the United States Mr.. Warren In
sisted on the observance of the prin-
ciples of international law over state
and municipal Legislation whenever
the United States interests or rights
the involved. Senior Gonzales Roa, in
presenting Mexico's attitude, which
still remains unfinished, has pointed
out, first, that the Lamont-de la
Huerta agreement fulfills the foreign
debt understanding; second, that the
administration is preparing to levy
tax on all lands in the republic
with the purpose of raising funds
prior to indemnification of owners of
appropriated land. and third. that
changes which the administration
plans to bring about in the pending
petroleum legislation will carry out
the petroleum understanding. AS ad-
dftional assurance, Senior Gonzales
n
tions of President Obregon, Secretary
of State Pani and decisions of the
supreme court against the retroac-
tivity of article 81.
The American delegates are not de-
Waiting in their course of insisting
that the principles of international l
law must prevail in the adjustment
of Mexico's foreign debt and the land
appropriation and petroleum disputes
before Mexico can hope to resume
her place among world nations. EX-
traordinary care is being exercised
by the Americans not to interfere in
internal politics.