`Anti-Mexico' Bias Seen

Beginning of article

Byline: Tom Ramstack

Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott warned yesterday of a Mexican backlash against U.S. participation in the North American Free Trade Agreement unless Mexican freight trucks were given greater access to the United States.

Meanwhile, Sen. John McCain, Arizona Republican, threatened to slow Senate work to a crawl unless a compromise could be reached that would allow the Mexican trucks into the United States.

Mr. Lott said the ban on Mexican trucks favored by the House of Representatives, and restrictive safety, inspection and licensing standards preferred by some senators, reflected "an anti-Mexico, anti-Hispanic, anti-NAFTA attitude."

He said he believed an agreement was possible only if the Senate and the House were willing to compromise.

"If we …