The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1913-11-28
MEXICO TROUBLE
IS WAR OVER OIL
Poems Behind Carranza Think They
are Fighting for Liberty-Patriot-
ism Hold Huertas Men
ANT UNDISPUTED TITLE
ATavenner Tells of Conditions of War
And Shows Insane Folly of En-
tering Fight
Bv Congressman Clyde H. Tavenner.

Bv Congressman Clyde H. Tavenner.
Washington, November 2S-The
troubles that beset Mexico are very
largely the battles in war over oil.
The poems behind Carranza think
they are fighting for liberty, and the
soldiers in Huerta's army feel that
patriotism holds them in the ranks,
but both are mistaken. These Mexi-
cans are shooting down their brother
Mexicans, and the United States is in
danger of being brought into the i'm
hroglio, because the great Pearson oil
interests want undisputed title to cer-
tain rich oil concessions in Mexico.
Much of the history of this oil
dispute was told by witnesses before
the Senate Committee which inves-
tlgated the troubles at the Mexican
border. But as the situation grows
more acute for this country addition
al information has been brought out,
until now the entire history of the
Mexican Oil struggle is pretty we'll
known in Washington.
1t dates back to the regime of Por-
frio Diaz, the dictator who believ-
I'd in the development of his country
~ the process of giving. away the re-
sources of the Mexican people to
rich eXpioiters from other counties.
At that time the Standard Oil Com
pany through the Waters Pierce Oil
Company (then a Standard sub
-sidiary), and the British oil interests
were engaged in a desperate contest
for the oil concessions Of Mexico, pro-
pably the greatest store of petroleum
m the world The Water-Pierce peo-
Ole were given an oil grant. Diaz al
80 gave a vast Oil concession to Sir
Weetman Pearson, now Lord Cow
rray, of England.
Madero, visionary, began his re-
yolution The Standard people, feel
ing that Diaz had favored the Brit
ish over the American Oil interests
were inclined to be friendly to Mad
7ro. When Madero won it put the
american interests in the ascendency
Witnesses before the Senate Commit
zee tried to show that Madero intend
I'd to vote the vast oil regions to the
Waters-Pierce Company, which has
since severed it's connection with the
Standard
Madero was not successful in this,
lut he did actually menace the Brit
ish holdings by proposing to take
away from all concessionaries lands
having clouded titles. That sealed his
t.ate There seems to be no question
that Cowdray gave at least moral
hacking to the Huerta-Feliz Diaz
tTeachery against Madero. But the
band was played too far. The con-
spirators in murderolls frenzy as
sassinated Madero, and the whole
world recoiled with horror. The kill
ing of Madero precluded recognition
by the United States. But so strong
Tgas the Pearson Influence in British
politics that Great Britain prompt
y recognized Huerta's government.
Recently the British Oil magnates
began to grow uneasy about the con-
tinued refusal of President Wilson 70
recognize Huerta. They found the
way to put pressure on the United
States. Lord Cowdray convinced
Winston Churchill, head Of the ad-
xniralty, that Britain should go in for
oil burning battleships. Where to get
the oil? Why, in the Pearson conces-
sions in Mexico, forever independent
of the United States and the Standard
Oil Company. Cowdray got the oil
contract and England sent to Mexico
j. new ambassador friendly to Mexico.
Therefore, poems who never owned
b foot of land of their own, are kill
nag each other in Mexico to deter
mine whether Lord Cowdray or the
Waters-Pierce Oil Company shall do
inmate the Mexican oil fields. And
there are Americans urging that Am
arican boys shall be sent in to kill the
poems and be killed themselves, for
the benefit of few millionaries. The
ansane folly of war was never more
clearly shown than in this Mexican
There will be special meeting of
the Eastern Star in the Masonic Hall