Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-11
MEXICAN POLICY
DOUBTS REMOVED
shefdrld Approval BY Cool.
idge Taken to Mean Finn
Stand on All Issues.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

The true significance of the man
ner in which the official spokesman
for President Coolidge voiced to the
public the Chief Executives support
OF James r. Sheffield. the American
Ambassador to Mexico, has just be
gun to be appreciated by the diplo-
matte world here.
Mr.. Coolidge not only invited the
amba Esador to Paul Smiths as his
guest, but in the declaration given
out afterward a particular point was
made Of the Executives complete con
fldence in Mr.. Sheffield.
This is taken to mean that when
Mr.. Sheffield returns to Mexico City
for his final series of negotiations
with the Mexican government he will
speak with the complete authority
and prestige that attaches to an EN-
voy who really has been given full
rein.
All Doubts Removed.
Until now the Mexican authorities
have been inclined to think that the
earnest, If not stern, words used by
the Ambassador did not represent the
Washington Government determine
ton. There will be no doubt Of II
now. For the American Government.
without making any public utterance
begun to insist that ii must have
some Affirmative response to the
many petitions it has filed with re-
spect to the protection Of American
property rights.
AS for the religious controversy
Mr.. Coolidge's spokesman has clarified
the Governments position so there no
longer can be any doubt of it. No
formal protest in the sense in which
the term is used in diplomatic
parlance and no representations Of a
general character arguing the merits
Of the restrictive religious laws will
be made. The United States Govern
ment, however, will not ignore the
affair. For instance, If any American
priests should be deported as was the
American archbishop last Spring, the
matter will be promptly brought to
the attention of the foreign office. If
any Americans suffer inconvenience
either in life Of property-if there Is
conf1scation Of any church property
belonging to American organizations
this Will become q matter of govern
mental attention just as any other
property interest of American citizens
that may be affected.
Applied Only to Americans.
But the line is drawn sharply to
apply to Americans. and not aliens.
Heretofore the United States has in
terceded frequently on behalf of Span
ish nationals. for instance. or the
French priests. This has been done
more especially under the implications
Of the Monroe doctrine and usually
when foreign governments have re-
Quested the United States to use good
Offices. There is no evidence that any
foreign government has asked the
United States Government to use it's
influence on behalf of it's nationals
affected by the religious laws of Next
CO. For the present, therefore. any
action taken in diplomatic channels
VIII be confined to securing respect
for the lives and property Of any
American missionaries or priests who
may be affected by the religious laws
Issue Clearly Defined.
In other words. the basis of diplo.
matte action is not the religious ques-
zion involved but the actual effect on
the lives or property of the American
citizens affected. 1t is believed that
very few American Catholic organiZa-
lions own proprt% in Mexico so the
opportunities for protest are limited.
The policy adopted by Mr.. Coolidge
is in line with the precedents applied
In the case OF Protestant missionaries
in Turkey and the Near East, where
diplomatic influence Is used by the
American embassy to enable the Amer
lean religious schools and colleges to
operate without outside interference
(CODYriRht 1929