File No. 312.11/8378
[Untitled]
Mexico City, February 20, 1917, 1 p.m.
4. Your 1, February 19, 6 p.m. Minister for Foreign Affairs states that he has no knowledge of any decree affecting rights of foreigners to real estate or mines to which such foreigners already have clear title, but that there are in existence decrees requiring the waiver of nationality in so far as concerns titles now under negotiation or to be acquired in the future. He has promised to send to the Embassy copies of such decrees.
He further said that the legislation emanating from the new Constitution with respect to property rights would in his opinion in no wise prejudice present property rights and at the same time called attention to the article of the new Constitution which provides that no laws may be made retroactive.