Evening star., 1944-07-13
Padi||a and Hull Sian
Three.Part Agreement
On Aid 10 Mexico
By JOSEPH II. BAIRD.

A three-part agreement on war
and postwar problems between the
United States and Mexico was an
nounced by the State Department
last night as result of week-long
conversations between Secretary of
State Hull and Foreign Minister
Ezequiel Padilla of Mexico
The Foreign Minister bade fare
we'll to Mr.. Hull late yesterday after
final conference and prepared to
leave for Mexico City The two
officials announced that they had
reached a complete accord on all
questions discussed"
The three high points in the
agreement we're:
/. The United States will aid in
the improvement OF Mexico's trans
portation system, including rail,
highway, sea and air routes.
2. AS result OF studies made
following President Roosevelt's s
meeting in May. 1943, with President
Avila Camacho, the United States
agrees to aid in the economic devel-
opment of Mexico insofar as war
time scarcity Of materials makes
that possible.
3. Affirming that the "inter-
American cooperative system has
proved of the utmost importance to
the safety and security of this
hemisphere, Mexico and the United
States agree that it should be de
veloped and expanded" The two
nations also pledge continuance Of
their present exemplary co-opera-
ton" after the war.
Rail Problem Most Important.
The agreement of most immedi-
ate concern was considered that on
transportation, inasmuch as Mex
icos rail system Is relatively back
ward and American war industries
must depend upon it for many raw
materials which Mexico is sending
here, such as copper and zinc.
The United States already has
furnished the Mexican railroads
with some rolling stock and tech
nical advice, and the Hull-Padilla
agreement implies that this assist
ance will be increased.
The two governments also agreed
that shipping lines whose opera
tions have been interrupted by the
war will be built up to relieve the
strain on rail and highway trans
portation. In the early stages Of
the war, submarines played havoc
with shipping in the Caribbean and
the Gulf of Mexico, but that menace
now has been virtually ended.
Agreement Quoted.
With regard to the broad eco
nomic development of Mexico in ac-
cordance with plans worked out by
the Mexican-American Commission
for Economic Cooperation, the
agreement said:
The commission has presently
under consideration a long range
program covering Mexico's needs for
1945 and subsequent years. This
program will receive prompt atten-
ton by various agencies OF the
United States Government. In
SuII lllS lOI " al Iilln
effort in the field Of economic de-
velopment the two governments
will discourage trade barriers which
may unduly interfere with the eco
nomic development Of Mexico and
trade between the two countries"
In view of the agreement, it is ex-
pected that the State Department
will ask the War Production Board
to pursue more liberal policy
toward the issuance Of export per-
mits for goods vitality needed by
Mexican industry.
In the broad field of political ac-
!tion. the two governments pledge
to continue close cooperation, as,
for instance, they are now doing on
the question Of relations with Far
rell regime in Argentina.