THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES MONDAY, JUNE 23, 1924. GREAT BRITAIN AND MEXICO.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19205, 23 June 1924, Page 6

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES MONDAY, JUNE 23, 1924. GREAT BRITAIN AND MEXICO.

The action of the Mexican Government in refraining from putting into execution the order for the expulsion of Mr Herbert Cummins, the British charge d'affaires, does not lessen the gravity of the breach between the two countries that are affected. It was only because Mr Cummins was withdrawing from Mexico in any case that the indignity of expulsion was not visited upon him. The Mexican Government had already brushed aside the representations which the British Foreign Office bad made to it concerning the need for a more temperate procedure than would bo involved in the expulsion of an official, whoso fault, in the eyes of Mexico, seems to have consisted in' the zeal he manifested in defence of the interests of British subjects in a country where the protection of those interests i-; more than usually necessary. The effect of the action of Mexico is to slam the door upon the very opportunity of securing British recognition for which she has been looking for this long time. A mission was recently appointed by the British Government to proceed to Mexico with the object of effecting an improvement in the relations between the two countries. It was to be headed by Sir Thomas Holder, whose varied diplomatic experience includes that gained as charge d’affaires in the Mexican capital for various periods during the first seven years of the revolution. The outcome of the mission would in all probability have been the recognition lay Great Britain of the Obregon Government, but it now seems likely that

the mission will lapse. Possibly the Obregon Government, somewhat obsessed by its pride in the sovereign dignity of Mexico, has been irritated by the fact that the British Government has shown no haste to accord it the formal recognition it desires. It is worth remembering, in this connection, that it was only after very protracted and exhaustive efforts that Mexico succeeded in securing diplomatic recognition from the neighbouring country, the United States. In 1913 President Wilson refused to recognise General Huerta ns the ruler of Mexico on the ground that his Government was founded on violence. The succeeding Carranza Government was acknowledged, but recognition of Mexico was withdrawn by the United States when the revolution occurred that placed General Obregon in power and brought Carranza to a miserable end, and it was sot until ten. months ago that the Government of the United States extended its recognition once again to Mexico, under the Obregon Administration. The example of the United States was followed with some promptitude by France. Great Britain remained longer aloof, and present appearances suggest that Mexico will have, to make an amende if it does not wish to give the British Government a good reason for still further withholding recognition from it.