812.52/2310
The Ambassador in Mexico ( Daniels ) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 27.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Department’s telegram No. 185 of September 8, 6 P.M., and recent reports from Vice Consul Yepis,19 regarding the agrarian problem in the Yaqui Valley.
Upon receipt of the Department’s telegram in reference, I again mentioned to General Hay our interest in the matter. General Hay asked that I speak also to the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs on the subject.
There follows a summary of that part of my conversation on September 13 at the Foreign Office with the Undersecretary concerning the matter:
I took up with Mr. Beteta the situation with reference to the dotation of lands, belonging to Americans, to Mexicans who had made application for land under the Agrarian laws, mentioning particularly the Yaqui Valley lands about which I had talked at length with President Cardenas some months ago.
Mr. Beteta said the situation as to the Yaqui Valley was one that had given him much concern. He did not think that any action would be taken immediately as to their lands. He asked me how many Americans had land in that section and I told him there were upwards of one hundred, and that I had made representations to President Cardenas personally in their behalf.
In view of the reported imminence of an unfavorable provisional decision of the case by the Governor of Sonora, possibly in accordance with instructions from the President of Mexico, I have addressed an [Page 612] informal letter on the subject to Mr. Beteta. A copy of that letter is enclosed.21
Respectfully yours,