BRITISH HONDURAS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23868, 24 July 1939, Page 11

BRITISH HONDURAS

GUATEMALA SEEKS CESSION VIOLATION OF PACT ALLEGED AMERICAN AID ASKED FOR (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) MEXICO CITY, July 22. (Received July 23, at 10.30 p.m.) The entire Mexican press gives great prominence to-day to reports that the Guatemalan Government has asked for intervention of the United States State Department to obtain from Britain the cession of British Honduras under terms of the Anglo-Guatemalan Treaty of 1869. Guatemala, it has been reported, claims that Britain violated the pact. The stories bear Washington date lines, but it is commonly reported that they were written in Mexico City and inspired by the Mexican Government, which in the event of cession would claim one-third of the territory for what are vaguely termed historical international reasons.

Foreign observers here consider that Mexico is merely jockeying for position in the oil controversy. The general impression is that the Mexican Government has served notice on the British Government that the introduction of any too strenuous insistence into its present intransigent attitude to the oil question might result in Mexico making things very hot for Britain in Honduras.