Evening star., 1945-02-09
Californian Charges
Consular Agent
Gains by Wafer Pact
BY the Associated Press.

Charges that a former State De-
partment official. whose activities in
Mexico were said to have nearly in
volved the United States in war
with its southern neighbor, would
be the prime beneficiary under the
proposed. American-Mexican water
treaty were made late yesterday be-
fore the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee.
Attorney General Robert w.
Kenny Of California, appearing as
a witness before the committee
which is considering the treaty,
named william o. jenkins as owner
of more than 500 900 acres below the
border which will receive water un-
der the proposed allotment to Mex
leo. The State Department said
Mr.. Jenkins was American consular
agent at Pueblo, Mexico, from 1918
to 1880.
Meanwhile, Senator johnson, Re-
publican, and Senator Downey.
Democrat, both of California, COM
planned that the State Department
had not consulted representatives of
the States in the Colorado River
basin before the treaty was signed
The agreement apportions waters of
the Colorado, Tia Juana and Rio
Grande Rivers between irrigated
farms in the United States and
Mexico.
Californians are objecting to
Mexico's allotment of / 500 900 acre
feet OF water annually from the
Colorado.
Calls for jenkins Records.
Mr.. Kenny asked the committee
to call for State Department, FBl
and Censorship records on Mr.. Jen-
nings, but up to last night it hac
not acted on his suggestion.
Il make the charge" Mr.. Kenny
said, that the records will show he
Jenkins) is perhaps the most dam
gerous enemy to the good neighbor
policy We have had"
Mr.. Kenny then cited these incl
dents from Mr. Jenkins career:
He was reported kidnapped by
Mexican rebels in 1919.
Friends naid his, ransom and Mr..
jenkins was released. Soon after
ward, however, he was jailed by the
Puebla Governor after Mexican
newspapers had charged Mr.. Jenk-
ins owed their government 200, 1000
pesos for revenues.
Sharp exchanges between Mexico
and the United States. Mr.. Kenny
said, were followed by a War De-
partment estimate that 100000
troops would be needed in case of
war
Sentiment Strong at Time.
The Californian said the jenkins
incident occurred at time when
there was much sentiment in the
United States for annexation of
Mexico.
These advocates, he explained,
were led by the late Senator Albert
Fall of New Mexico, who introduced
Ia resolution to break relations with
Mexico.
Mr.. Kenny read a letter written
him by the late Harry Chandler,
publisher of the Los Angeles Times,
stating that Mr.. jenkins bought Mr
Chambers Mexican holdings at
about the time the water treaty was
being negotiated last year, for about
$500 900, or about so cents an acre.
State Department officials said
later the sale was made after COM
|pletion of treaty negotiations.
Support for the treaty came to-
day from r. ]. Upton, Denver. Colo,
engineer. who testified he partici-
pated in conferences which led to
signing Of the pact He told the
committee that the division of the
waters provided in the treaty is SUBJ
the same as was approved
10y the six-State committee which
he represented-Arizona, Colorado,
Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico and
Texas.
Both Mr.. Upton and the witness