Evening star., 1926-01-21
u. s. GETS MEXICAN
LAND LAWS REPLY
Sheffield TransIating Paper
for Transmission to Sec
retary Kellogg.

Amba ssa dor Shefield advised the
received the Mexican reply TO the
American representa- tions in regard to
the new Mexican land and petroleum
, laws The embassy began at once to
translate the document for ransmis-
sion to Washington. but there was no
indication as TO when II would actual
~ be in Secretary keilogg's hands.
Reiterating the position of the
Wa ashington Government that the
Ia ws are .'plai retroactive and con
f1scatOry." Secretary Kellogg yester-
day took issue with the statement
given 10 the press Tuesday by Foreign
Minister Aaron SaenZ al Mexico City.
Mr.. kelloRg's statement OF l5e words
dismissed Mr.. Saenz's statement as
containing no facts or arguments
which have not been dealt with in
official excha nees.
Position Made Clear
The position OF this GoNernmSnt
has been and still is that the so-cslled
! and and petroleum laws contain pro
visions which are plainly retroactive
and confiscat tory in their effect upon
property rights heretofore legally &C
quired and held by American citi2ens
In Mexico under prior existing Mex
lean laws
This position. which does not In
, any Sense question MeXico's sover-
eign right TO legislarr on her domestic
concerns. has been made perfectly
clear in the most frank and friendly
, terms 70 the Mexican government
both formally and informally.
Our lsst note 10 this subject was
doll m q int nf
foreign affairs January .. In The ah-
sence Of any reply to that note | am
not disposed at this time 10 make any
! further public comment"
Note Not Yet Here.
The Mexican not ha nded to Amba s.
/ sador Sheffield in Mexico city late
! yesl erdaN did not reach the state De
| partmenf last night nor had the de.
/ partment been advised or it's delivery
I 10 Mr.. Sheffield. II was said At the
department that on agreement 10
withhold The two notes from pub.
! lication had been made with the Mex
/ leo city government which would ap-
ply after the Mexican rpioinder had
, been received.
The depa also announced
! that it had ira nsmitted in reply To
The resolution offered in the Senat =
/ ny Sena TOR La Toilette. Republtcdn n
/ Wisconsin. all the Information It ha q
! hea ring on agreements which pre-.
| ceded the diplomatic recognition Of
Mexico. and Slso on the negotia tions
! for The refunding Of Mexico's exter,
| nal debt.
! Minutes Given Senate.
! This information is contained in The
| minutes of the joint Mexica n Amer.
/ ican commission which met in 1923 in
| Mexico city. SO far as recognition IL
| concerned The debt funding negotia
| tions were conducted by an interns
| tional ha hiking group. also in MexIcp
! The proceedings both of ths banking
/ group. which had no connection with
! the Washington Government, and ot
| the 1928 commission have already
| been published in fun
| Secretary Kellogg reiterated that
! there were no agreements or under
| sta ndings of any kind pertaining to
| the recognition of the Mexican gov.
| ernment that were not included in the
| published minutes OF the commission
I The La Toilette resolution was framed
to inquire a. to secret underst ndings
| in this respect.