Show u. u So S. and Mexico Confer On Mutual Aid Plan WASHINGTON March 5 Negotiation of a mutual assistance pact agreement between the United States and Mexico gave the North American continent Wednesday In effect a common defense front from the Arctic circle almost to the Isthmus of Panama The understanding with Mexico complements the recently concluded concluded concluded con con- joint defense pact between the United States and Canada thus providing for protection of both southern and northern flanks of the continent Military naval and air force experts experts ex ex- ex of the United States and Mexico the state department disclosed disclosed disclosed dis dis- dis- dis closed are already at work on specific plans for cooperative defense defense defense de de- against aggression and It t was believed that the agenda Included included included In in- in- in Mexico's establishment of naval and air bases which would be available for U. U S. S use in any emergency The state department however gave no clues to details of the contemplated program when It made the announcement Tuesday night that the mutual assistance conversations were under way This announcement confined It Itself itself itself it- it self to stating that the experts 1 would discuss plans relating to the assistance which the two countries countries countries coun coun- tries would render each other Inthe in inthe inthe the event of an aggression against either The understanding with Mexico was the first to be negotiated with any of the hemisphere republics under an agreement reached by representatives of the American nations at Havana on July 31 1940 and was expected to be followed by similar defense collaboration with other hemisphere nations The rhe United States already has a treaty with Panama for joint defense of the Panama canal and and military missions have been sent to a number of the American republics re re- publics to help them In prepared ness precautions In preliminary U. U S. Mexican discussions during the last several weeks it was reported one of the thi the major proposals was that Mexico construct new or enlarged naval bases in Magdalena bay Low Lower California and at Acapulco on the west coast for protection of of ot Panama canal approaches and one or two others at strategic poin point pointon M on the Gulf of Mexico i Under this proposal the base bases 1 would be constructed with funds fund loaned by the United States Slates bu but j Mexico would retain full Other Other reported subjects of d iii j were Extension and Improvement of ot I Mexican airfields so they might be utilized by American planes Expansion and modernization ot of the Mexican army Completion of the te Mexican sec sec- section tion of the Pan-American Pan hIgh kith way to provide better and faster transportation especially for over land troop and supply movements movement toward the canal Lease of the railway across the tie Tehuantepec isthmus as a parallel overland route to the canal |