Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-03-14
MEXICO, NEWEST LAND OF CANAAN,
SUCCEEDS u. S. AS MELTING POT

not to get into Mexico but to get out
of 1t safely.
| With the coming of peace and
stable government dawned the era OF
the commoner. a policy was enunci-
ated making the country's natural re-
sources the property Of the people.
The agrarian law swung the AK on the
! feudal system of vast landed estates
From few great parcels Of property
Mexico was. theoretically at least,
broken UP into a great number OF lit
| tie pieces for the legal taking of any
according to his ability, industry and
| influence.
Mexico for the Mexicans.
The next step was natural and log
zeal enough. Foreseeing the rush
from without to gather up bits of this
potential wealth, Mexico enacted into
law the slogan OF Mexico for Mexi-
cans" Article q of the Constitution
of 1917 was polished and filed down
into workable statutes. AS finally
passed the laws comprise these main
provisions:
No alien may hereafter acquire
landed property within 60 miles of any
frontier or within 30 miles of sea-
coast. Aliens now possessed OF such
property may retain it until their
Heath. but their heirs must dispose of
1t within five years thereafter to
citizens of Mexico.
All products OF the subsoil includ.
ing ores and petroleum. are the prop
erty of the Mexican nation. All alien
owners of land must waive their rights
as foreigners so far aS that land is
concerned. While water, mining and
oil properties are specified, practically
the law includes agricultural land as
well, for the reason that most Of the
land is irrigated, which involves the
ownership of water rights.
The effect of these enactments will
be to make it necessary for all aliens
DESTROYS of owning mining. oil or
farm property in Mexico to become
MeXicans in fact or in spirit.
Thus Mexico viii cat her cake and
have ii too. She will give away her
treasures and keep them as we'll
and with them will keep as citizens
all those who would share in the vast
wealth of her natural resources. In
exchange for Il permanent population
II new citizens she offers opportuni-
ties such as few lands afford.
What such a permanent population
will mean to Mexico in generations
TO come may he approXimated from
-.
built up to the worlds strongest and
richest nation from multiple fusings
of just such materials in a less eff.
Gent melting pot. Our immigration
records evidence the quantity and
quality of such materials now ready
to MeXico's hand.
Effect of American Law.
Our latest and deepest cut in irnmi.
grafton, made necessary by too much
of a good thing. limited the entry into
the United States of nationals of most
foreign countries to . per cent of the
total number of natives OF those coun-
tries living here 80 years ago--that is,
as shown by the census of 1890 This
lGded to the previous laws restrictions
in two ways, the former quota statute
allowing 3 per cent OF the total
toreign-born Of any given nationality
residing in tho t0ited States accord.
ing 10 the 1910 census.
Just what the 1924 immigration act
did in the way of making immigrants
available for other countries by turn
ing them away from the United States
is Strikingly set out in the record of
alien entries. In the last year Of the
previous law .V6.S96 foreigners Of all
nationalities were admitted to the
L illcu sNtdttS- III tUS liTSI year Oh
the new law @94.314 were admitted. an
arbitrary reduction of more than
100000. What the influx might have
been with no quota restriction at all
is limited at by the record of the peak
year of 1907. when 1885 $40 foreigners
entered the United States.
But for the new law. 1925 would
have added TO the population of the
United states $4,000 Englishme
$4,000 Scotchmen. $1,000 Italians. Al
900 Germans. $1,000 Frenchmen. s.
900 Hollanders and q vast and mixed
assortment of sturdy homeseekers of
other nationalities.
immigration Possibilities.
The average Of many years of i'm.
migration records Indicates that among
those who would have become resi-
dents OF the United States in 1925