Page:Mexico under Carranza.djvu/86

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MEXICO UNDER CARRANZA

our Secretary of State and General Carranza in both his Decree and Declaration solemnly promise to "afford to foreigners residing in Mexico all the guaranties to which they are entitled according to our laws, and shall amply protect their lives, their freedom, and the enjoyment of their rights of property, allowing them indemnities for the damage which the revolution may have caused to them." As we shall see in succeeding chapters, the Carranza government has confiscated the capital of banks, the public service properties throughout the country, and various other properties of foreigners of the value of hundreds of millions of dollars. Furthermore, although Carranza's administration has been recognized as the de facto government of Mexico by this country since October 9, 1915, and as the de jure government for a year, no step has been taken to pay the indemnities due foreigners for damage done by the revolutionists, but the damage and destruction of those properties have continued to the present time and are now proceeding.

Fourth. In his Declaration to the nation of June 11, 1915, General Carranza pledged himself that "there shall be no confiscation in connection with the settlement of the agrarian question. This problem shall be solved by an equitable distribution of the land still owned by the government, etc." In violation of this pledge, the new consti-