Evening star., 1925-11-21
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL !. COLLINS.

titles acquired prior TO the present
constitution and prior To America n
recognition. but 1t is modified bv
article >. which provides that titles
acquired by aliens prior to this law
may be held by the present owners
until they die" but cannot he 'ville-i
to, nor inherited by, their heirs or
assigns
Article 6. Provides that upon the
death Of the present alien holder Of
agricultural land. the department Of
foreign relations may issue permit
enab bling the title TO pass 10 some
person competent to receive it with
in the lava Mexican.
Article :. Provides that aliens who
have any rights due to purchases
prior to this law must so declare
their rights Ia the department of
foreign relations within one wear
after this law is adopted: otherwise
the claims will he void
Articles to II. inclusive. void All
titles or contracts made in violation
of the provisions Of the prnvioJ.;
articles. and article u refers to Ies
of other than agricultural lands for
terms longer than 10 years.
II is noted that the law strikes par.
tlcularly in behalf of agricultural
lands. Mexico has a real land prob.
lem. faced by the revolutionists re.
GardinG the holding of vast tracts of
land bN Few owners. Peonage was le-
Eally abolished years ago. but 1t re.
NAMED in practice until the 1917 reyo.
lutlon. under law that poems were
| not permitted to leave their "em.
ploNers' while indebted to them.
Ihe revolution provided that the
government should confscate the great
!ano holdings. paving their owners in
oonoS, on the basis Of valuation 10
per cent higher than the land was D.
praised for taxation purposes. AS the
value OF such bonds was problemati.
cal. the United States Governncnt
stipulated that in case nf the saiz,,r.,
or any Americans land. he must he
palo IN cash. except that not more
than 1000 acres, for communal pur.
poses or any village. might be expro.
prlateo in consideration of certain
forms OF bonds, approved by our au.
thorities. The new law converts all
titles into mere life interest of the
owners, SO that at the death Of the
present owners all restrictions NAV be
waived as to the bonds paying for any
Ianu. IhlS affects American titles to
mllllons or acres OF coffee. rubber and
henequen lands. If sanctioned. it opens
the way to further aggressive legisla
ton against American mines and other
properties. A bill is now pending TO
natlonalize' all subsoil resources
oil and ores
| Much or the appropriated lands are
sold TO poems. who have no means of
lrfigatine the land or of farming with
modern efncfency. Poems have little o,
no ma ach1nery and no knowledge OF
MODERN agriculture. hence production
! is at the minimum.
y
! Ahother example Of radical lecis-
lation is law which requires all EN-
pioyers OF labor to give the EN-
pioye three months notice before
discharging him. or to pay him three
months wages. The masses, both
in the country and cities, are illit-
crate ana now that they appear 10
! nave overturned the power of the
upper class and gained control of
legislation there is a tendency TO.
ward abusing that power and max
ing investments unsafe. except for
lCouyrisbt. isa5 ses by Pa,1 PprG1'Sctlon; 1o11,,.,