Portal Reopened

The U. S. Government last week gave Mexico positive assurances that hereafter the State of Texas would observe company manners toward Mexican statesmen in transit between the two countries. Result: the Mexican Government reopened its consulate at Laredo.

A month prior this main trade portal between the U. S. and Mexico had been slammed closed because Laredo's District Attorney John A. Vails had threatened to arrest General Plutarco Elias Calles, one-time President of Mexico, on an old murder conspiracy charge. Born a Spaniard, Vails had once been a Mexican officeholder under Diaz. Naturalized a U. S. citizen after Diaz's fall, he flaunted his political hostility to the new Mexican regime by threatening its still-strongest figure.

Laredo business languished. But freight cars had to be diverted to Brownsville and Eagle Pass. Governor Dan Moody appealed to Secretary of State Stimson, then to President Hoover himself. Texas Senators implored the President to do something. It was even suggested that President Hoover hold a long distance telephone conversation with Mexico's President Emilio Portes Gil.

What prompted Mexico to reopen its consulate was a note inspired by President Hoover and written by Acting Secretary of State Cotton expressing "unreserved disapproval" of what a Texan had done, promising, in behalf of "appropriate State authorities," that "Mexican citizens . . . will not be molested in the communities heretofore involved.''

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.