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Show SQUARE DEAL HOPED FOR BMERICANS who have investments in property and Industries in Mexico are Still wondering whether the administration has changed its attitude toward them, and they are earnestly hoping that it has. They were led to Tjelievo that a change had taken place when it was announced recently that mtf Republic of China had borrowed $5,000,000 from the Continental and Com-niercial Com-niercial National Bank of Chicago; and the state department had approved the transaction. The sum is not large, as international loans go, but the Incident indicated that a marked change had come over the spirit of the administration since those early days of 1913 when the president compelled the American particiants to withdraw from their contemplated share in a much larger loan to be granted to the Chinese government and known as the Six-Power agreement agree-ment The position which the state department then took was that there was some financial immorality attaching to such a proceeding and that a virtuous administration could not afford to be connected with it, even by implication. Before concluding the recent loan, the Chicago bankers submitted the proposed pro-posed contract to Secretary Lansing for scrutiny; and before the document was executed they received a letter from the secretary in which he gave his appproval to the proceeding and added: "It is the policy of the department, now as in the past, to give all proper diplomatic support and protection to the legitimate enterprises abroad of American citizens.'' These last words gave satisfaction to the American capitalists who have invested. their money in Mexico, though there is still a loop-hole in whatever interpretation the administration may put upon the words "legitimate enterprises." enter-prises." One of the outstanding grievances of Americans who have undertaken the development of railroads, mines and oil field in Mexico is that they have been denied the proper protection of this government in their operations. The Lansing Lan-sing letter, accordingly affords a ray of hope to those unfortunate persons who have wrapped up in enterprises south of the Rio Grande, and the expectation is that the letter, coupled with an apparent purpose to hold Carranza to a more "strict accountability," may give a chance for American investors to recoup the losses which they have sustained through the onslaughts of Carranza and Villa and whoever else has exercised power in Mexico. |