Evening star., 1926-08-22
GEN. D|Az ATTACKS
RELIGIOUS DEGREES
Gales Also Holds Office H.
legally, Says Exi|ed Mexl-
can, in New Orleans.
Rr fha Asaooi Press

By the Associated Press.
NEW ORLEANS, August 21.-The
New Orleans States tomorrow viii
quote Gen. Felix Diaz as saying that
the latest DEGREES of President Gales
on the religious question are ab-
surd," that Gales is not legally quail
fed to act as President and that the
constitution of Mexico has not been
legally adopted.
The interview is the first granted
by Gen. Diaz since he came here six
wears ago when exiled after the revo-
luton against Adolfo de la Huerta,
provisional president. Diaz is a
nephew of former President Porforio
Diaz The States quotes Diaz as say
ing: There has not been a legal law
in Mexico since October 10, 1913, when
Victoriano Huerta dissolved the MeXi-
can Congress.
Since that day every law that has
been passed in Mexico is null and void
and has no standing that a lawyer
would be compelled to recognize in
court"
Laws Said to Be Invalid.
Among the laws enumerated are
the religious laws, the oil statutes and
the land laws.
This, says Gen. Diaz," continues
the story, "is not merely his personal
opinion. 1t is the considered opinion
of competent legal experts, American
lawyers, specialists in the laws Of
Mexico. who have been commissioned
by Mexicans now political eXiles in
America to analyze Mexico's laws and
pass upon their validity
Gen. Diaz, in discussing the relig
ious controversy, is quoted as declar-
ing the latest DEGREES Of President
Gales as absurd because they violate
the same constitution which they are
invoked to fulfill. The president and
the Mexican Congress have violated
article 40 Of the constitution Of 1917,
he contends.
president Gales has no legal pow
err to make those laws" the quotation
continues, until he is legally quail
fed to act as president, and the re-
ligious laws violate article 49 of the
constitution of 1917, since that con-
sttution itself has never been legally
adopted"
Sees Series of DictatOrs.
Article 40 Of the Mexican constitu-
ton provides that the supreme pow
err Of the federation shall be divided
into the legislative, executive and
judicial; that two or more of these
powers shall never he united under
one person, nor shall the Legislative
power be vested in one individual, eX-
cept extraordinary powers granted
the executive in case of invasion,
grave disturbance of the public peace
or other emergencies which might en-
danger society.
Gen. Diaz was quoted as declaring
that all Mexico has had since October
10, 1913, has been "a series of illegal
dictators remaining in power by force
of arms and passing and enforcing
laws that are null and void as far as
legal procedure Is concerned"
In support of his contention that
President Gales was not legally quail
fed to act as president, Gen. DiaZ
produced legal opinions, the States
will say, which cited a section of the
Mexican constitution which debars
from the presidential Office any person
who shall have taken part directly
or indirectly in any uprising, riot or
military coup" The story says Gen.
Diaz' private records list Gales as one
Of the ringleaders in the military
coup in which CarTanza was over
thrown in 1920"