812.52/2351: Telegram
The Ambassador in Mexico ( Daniels ) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 29—6:30 a.m.]
281. Representative of American landowners and representatives of other landowners in the Yaqui saw President Cardenas yesterday, Gabio Vasques [Gabino Vásquez] and the Governor of Sonora were present. The President, according to the representative of American landowners, told them that unirrigated lands would be given them in exchange for their irrigated properties, that they could select and keep 100 hectares of their present lands apiece, that they would have water for these 10 hectares tracts, that when the Angostura dam is finished in 1939 they could irrigate and sell the exchange lands, indicating that discussion of any other proposals would be useless.
In view of the foregoing I saw Beteta this afternoon to stress the seriousness of the situation and urge discussion of arrangements with the landowners’ representative here before dotation. Boal saw him again tonight leaving him a map and a memorandum of points meriting consideration before final action is taken. Beteta was urged to endeavor to arrange to have landowners complete planting of wheat and harvest crop in June 1938 before dotations are made. Suarez31 was also urged to press the merits of this suggestion with the President. Beteta has now gone to see the President.
Gabino Vasquez and the Governor of Sonora are scheduled to return to the Yaqui tomorrow to proceed with dotation.
The representative[s] of the landowners have tonight received a copy of the Presidential acuerdo ordering dotation of the Yaqui Valley lands on October 31st and containing the provisions contained in the first paragraph of this telegram.
- Eduardo Suarez, Minister of Finance.↩