davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-12
MEXICAN OIL SITUATION
LOOMS OMNIBUS, VIEW
Thrcatencd Nullifcntion Of o Pro.
ducers' Rights Causes Concern.
ClRRANzA's AUTHORITY.
Constitutional Revision Would Give
Him Dictatorship Powers Delicate
Situation Believed TN the Milking

vices. indicating that President Car
rama is planning early legislation.
held by oil producers. to nullify their
vested rights in oil property. today
created fresh concern among officials
for the future relations of the United
States and Mexico.
Confirmation of the report that
Carranza intends to use his influence
10 bring about a constitutional re-
vision which. in effect. might give him
Dictatorship powers in the promulga-
ton of laws. and his known intention
to press passage by the Mexican con-
gress OF tRe so called Petroleum code.
com binc to create uneasiness over the
delicate situation which appears to be
in the making.
The constitution OF the Mexican
government. which became effective
May /. 1917. Contained features held
by many students OF government TO
verge upon the radical socialistic.
Among its conventions was one. hold
ing that In the future mineral rights
should he the property Of the govern
ment and that owners Of lands were
not possessed Of sub-soil rights.
In the note handed to the Mexican
government by Ambassador Fletcher
on April 2. 1918, the statement was
made:
Tho United States cannot acquiesce
In any procedure ostensihly or nomi
na1ly In the form of taxation or the
exercise of eminent domain but really
resulting in the conflscation of private
property and arbitrary deprivation OF
vested rights"
The Associated Oil Producers o.
Mexico. an organization mbracing
American British and Dutch pro
ducers contend that the uroDosed ne
troieum code now before the Mexican
congress in the form of bill. IL en-
acted. will bring about deprivation Of
vested rights of American land hold
erE,
AS there is a possibility that the
proposed code might not be passed by
either house of the Mexican congress
for some time to come. great slgnih-
canoe was attached today to confirma-
ton of the report that President Car
ranza's cabinet has agreed to offer 4
constitutional amendment by which Il
will be possible for the president Of
Mexico to proclaim a measure a. law,
If action is not taken on the measure
within month or some other stated
period by both sides of the congress.
The proposal of President CarranZa
has brought some comment from
Mexican editors but according to- adj
vices there is no ground for believing
that the plan viii meet a substantial
objection from the republicans party
leaders
Although no Official statement is
forthcoming. there is every reason to
believe that the United States has not
deviated in any respect from the posi-
ton taken in the note which was de-
livered by Ambassador Fletcher.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-12
covdisie' commercial sordla'e. BE-

covdi2fe,e commercial sordiale. be-
tween America and her allies
Golden opportunities, he raid. are
ahead of America If she will but grasp
them. One Of these will come as
result OF development Of our foreign
trade policy. which. however, bust not
be regulated or guided by politics. He
advised reyisionNo of what he termed our
ant.auated, pernicious shipping laws.
lie advocates absolutely free bottoms.
This lis why England has succeeded
with her merchant marine. he SAID
England. he said. furnished almost HfHy
per cent OF the bottoms that trans
ported American soldiers TO Europe.
He does not thiniS Americas conn
merc,ai attaches abroad are efficient
lie would md out what the other fell
Ie1r- wants hnM- h. Mants 1t and " hen
he wants 1t The Webb fomerene bill
ne said. will do much to solve our for
eipn trade policy
NJ. c Wallace, Of the fedora re-
serve bank. also was a speaker He
asked Jesse " God. v'No presided as
chairman. what he was expected to
talk about. Chairman wood told him
that il was up TO him The lore,
Mr. Wallace said h@. would choose for
his subject. It's ID to Him"
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-12
MAD DOC. RUNS NMtCk:
BITES SEVERAL IN FULTON

George w. Whitlow, of 1905 Erin
street. Fulton, visited the state board
OF health officers yesterday with the
head Of a dog and his s-year-o1d son,
whom the ANIMAL is said TO have bit
ten According to the parent. the dog
ran ornuck in Fulton Tuesday after
noon ant cNtpred several homes In
one Of which It fcarfnlly tore the face
Of an infant. while the father OF the
child lay III bed in an adjoining roo'n
suffering with influenza The animal
ALSO is said 10 have attacked a third
victim, . l1-year-old boy. In The
street
The little son OF Whitlow vas given
treatment 10 prevent rabies and the
case was turned over to the city an
thorities for further investigations. The
head-of the dog viii he sent to Wash
ingtou. The animal WAS a small one.
with long. shaggy white hair, and is
believed TO have been a pet.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-12
.BElG|Un'S CLAIMS
AGAINST GERMANY

Londuu Dee lit BY British
Wireless - The Belgian newspaper,
Metropole. states that on December ,
Paul Hissans. Belgian minister Of
foreign affairs, made The following
Statements regarding Belgium's claims
at the peace conference:
obviously. our first demand from
Germany will be restitution of all the
m!liards OF which she robbed us in
industrial factories and in hundreds
of other ways.
As far as territorial adjustments
are concerned, if you read carefully
between the lines of the passages Of
the recent speech from the throne.
which refers TO. the old treaties. they
viii tell you as much as | can tell you.
The passages in Question deal with
, the international treaty Of 1899,
which fixed the status of belgium.
This treaty deprived the young king
dom Of Helgium of tho principal por
ton of her provinces of Liege and
Luxembourg and enriched the German
confederation by the Belgian towns
of the province OF -Liege, such as st.
With Eupon, Malmedy and Montjoio.
1t likewise made the kingdom OF The
Netherlands master of the Lower
Scheldt The consequence was that
since the beginning of the war Amt
NElIs tSa9 HHfAl poIFlhos up ans ac@
lariYed 7of ali aaosssiale assistance by
Sc:f Il yafrfse tffss ffrv5T s ''' ''''z'
In declaring that the treaty which
wronged Belgium in this way and
reduced her in size from 500 10 1918
is now dead letter, the king gave
an idea of what Belgium claims
would be. and thai for example, The
Netherlands ought to renounces Its
monopoly of the River ScheiGV-a
monopoly which has proved so fataI
to Belgium without protecting Hol-
land In any way inasmuch as none oi
the allies has at any time whatsao-
ever threatened the Dutch navy OF
Dutch territory.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-12

Continued from Page One0 81
France, is not easy to read. Often a
surface froth covers a deep underly
ing seriousness. For instance. last
midnight, at the end a two days fete
in honor of King Albert's visit. a
yelling. singing crowd dragged a Ger
man cannon from the Place de la
Concorde up the Grand Boulevard.
An Alpine bugler was in the lead
Behind him pressed forward "a throng
of Americans, Poles, Serbians. Aus
tralians and Poilus jostiing and
shouting.
Astride the cannon rode a girl OF
iiapier n1ache. Thu sNtloIs, affair was
the very picture 81 . 4carpiyalo OF folly:
I Fire sidirs~aikS w,erp swafnifg WITH
throngs. Strangets EN- raced one an
other amidst a constant shower of
confetti. Walters were busy rushing
! DRINKS out by the side doors of
cafes. Everywhere there Yves hysteri-
cal Saiety. A stranger seeing it all
might believe Paris has already for
gotten the hundreds of thousands of
men buried in the battle line not
many miles distant and the terror of
the air raids less than three months
past. But that is not so.
Suddenncss Of Victory.
Paris is still da2ed with the sud
.denneSs of the victory, and the terror
of the war lifted, ii seized upon the
visits OF the British and Belgian kings
as excuses TO vent emotions suppress
ed for four long. weary years. Also.
I it is we'll to remember that Paris in
a lighter mood, is always essentially
feminine, and 1t is with feminine an
ticipation that Paris awaits the ar
rival OF President Wilson as an APP
propriate climax to the victory 10Y
! II is a safe. prophecy that Mr. Wilson
viii see a welcome unique in his ex-
! nerience. He has place in the heart
i of the French people not only be-
cause he is the chief American execu-
! tive, hut because of the nation wide
admiration for his PERSONAL efforts
! toward victory
| The. president is not coming to a
land OF froth and laughter and
cheers. but to a people deeply moved
and almost little appalled,, by the
! magnitude OF the issues at stake in
yofving, as they do, France perhaps
more than any other nation.
1 Everywhere one discovers a pro.
! found hope. expressed with almos
religions reverence. that the men who
viii sit at Versailles may not pcrmi
the wortd To return To the armed
iealonsies of 1914. despite the untem
perate demands of minority Of Jour,
naIists which read like Ludendorf
pr6clama tons
Said French university professo,
today:
/. Down the Elysees both sides Of
the great avenue are lined with Ger.
man cannon. grimly thrca tening thu
traffic for miles between. These are
magnificent trophies OF our victory
but they are ugly ornaments Pra,
Cod that this he the last time the
Elysee secs enemy guns, even cap.
tured ones. Each muzzle there could
account for lives wsntonly taken dur.
ing the last test of civilizations great.
est fallaey--war."
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-12
OABNEY DEFEATS COLE
At ST. ELMO PARt0RS

I'm bney flBU1 won the match game
at the st Elmo billiard parlors last
night from his opponent. Cole te0)
by score of l00 10 50. after making
some of the best plays and shots seen
since the opening OF the tournament.
Cole made the h eh run of the game.
a ban run. and also "A II, Dab
ney made a couple of LIS and ono
10-ball run,
The game that was played between
Lewis 900 and Hudson tS5) some
time ago. and which Lewis lost to his
opponent and which was contested
because of a foul being called, was
played off last night, Lewis winning
by score of 50 to Iiudson's So. Lewis
making the high ron, iS-bail. while
Hudson rceicd OF couple OF SIS. =
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-12
MEETING TONIGHT OF
GAME ASSOCIATION

/ The annual meeting of the Virginia
Game and Fish Protective Association
will be held his evening at o'clock
r. NJ. In roo 80, Jefferson Hotel
There will be The election OF officers
and the transaction Of any business
brought before the association.
According TO Ernest G.. Mead, the
president Of the association. many OF
the active members will be absent
because of military duties and because
of this fact all members are urged, II
they can possible do so. attend this
meeting.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-12
H1RIU|s MI WEIR
DISTINCTIVE BADGES

| announcement was made last night
I by II. G.. Boykin, director of the Red
Cross Christmas membership cam
paign. which will be conducted next
week, that all campaign workers Will
wear an official badge. The badge is
= disc OF metal and celluloid bearing
the words "Christmas Roll Call' and
having y consecutive humber In the
feenter-fs red cross between green
holly wreaths.
Workers must wear the regulation
badges" said the director. adding that
extraordinary care will be taken to see
that none OF them are issued except
Ito campaign workers. I'VE are an
nouncing In advance the type OF badge
that VIII be displayed by those repre-
senting the Red Cross In order that
there may be no Misunderstanding on
the part Of the public" he said. There
win be special badge for exclusive
use In the house-to-house canvass,
which Is to DO conducted by women.
These badges have q white back ground
and bear the words RED Cross Christ
mas Roll Call Worker"
A small button will be issued to all
who answer the call to join thc> Red
Gross next week and those becoming
members will be requested to wear
their button during 1919, Director Boy
kin stated The button has white
WHICH appears thc uts~
tinctive cross of the organization In
red and beneath ii in small blue fg-
nres. the numerals 1919.
Each person joining the Richmond
chapter will receive button. service
flag and Red Cross seals. These will
be given in the place of receipts. The
flags are made of thin paper. 1Lx7M
inches, and may be either pinned or
pasted on window. where they win
make an effective showing both night
and day. Ten Red Cross seals will
be awarded each member, together
with circular on the work of the Tu-
bercufosis association
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-12
At THE
THEATERS
ADELAIDE THJRsTON.

adelaide Thurston. classed as one
of Americas BEST actresses. win he
The attraction at the Academy this
afternoon and night in her recent
success The Oiher MANS Wife,
Miss T'hurstou has always been q
favoriie IN the south and her many
friends VIII, no doubt. me glad to
have q chance to welcome her, and
from the advance sale there doesn
seem 10 be a doubt about her being
greeted n, two well-diied houses.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-12

The body of Innes r. Johnson. pres
ident of the Southern Endless Belt
company, of this city. who died this
morning at the residence of his aunt
Mrs - c. Kent. 80 South Market
street. after a short Illness of prieu
monis, resulting from influenza, was
shipped this afternoon to Powhatan
county for burial
Mr.. Johnson. who was one of the
most prominent young business men
Of this city was In his twenty-ninth
year. and for the past FIVE years had
resided In this city with his aunt, Mrs.
Kent He was prominent in the bust
ness affairs OF this city and was head
Of the Southern Endless Belt COM
pany. one of this city's youngest but
promising industries. Mr.. Johnson was
the inventor of the endless belt. as
/, we'll as the machinery used in the
! manufacture of the belt. Only recently
ground was broken for big modern
factory for this new concern.
Mr.. Johnson was from an old prom
inent family in Powhatan county. He
| is the son of the late Rev Martin
Johnson. Of Eiiock. Powhatan county
and Is survived by his mother. four
brothers and two sisters. He was q
w r. 7. graduate.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-12

Leroy Armsteid colored. IS years
old, of the Southside. was arrested
Yesterday afternoon ~ Byrd street
station by Prohibition officer Sweet
on the charges Of transporting ard
having in his possession ardent spirits.
Nine quarts of whiskey were turned
over 10 the First police station
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-12

Mrs. Clara May Bland. aged twenty
three years, wife OF John s. Bland. died
last night at her home in Swift Creek.
She had been In, bad health for more
than twelve rnopths. e.,t.. :
@'' f-1ls Ytfneraf win take place Tomor-
row, at 2 o'clock from Woodlawn Bap-
list church. at Swift Creek. and inter-
ment will be made in Blandford ceme-
terry.
Before her marriage Mrs. Bland was
Miss Clara May Swing. Besides her
husband she is survived by one daugh-
ter. her mother. Mrs. Rebecca Swing
one brother and one sister. all OF
Swift Creek.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-12

A regiment was lying upon It's back
at exercise drill. under orders to max
the feet go as If riding bicycles. Pres
emily Private O'Hoolihan's feet pauseL
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-12

l.. Buck, 1917 East Main street. re-
ported to the First police station last
night that thieves had broken a show
case at his place. and stole a brown
suit valued at $40. brown suitcase
valued at $50. a blue serg suit valued
at $40, brown sweater valued at 81.
two silk mufYiers valued at So. Total
value $s5. The police are working
On the case
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-12

The funeral services OF the late
Madison wilkes took place this after
noon at $40 o'clock from Tabb-Street
Presbyterian church. the pastor. Rev.
Charles n. Strfbling officiating. assisted
by the Rev. Dr. Osboro. of st. Paul's
Episcopal church. Interment was made
in Blandford cemetery.
The following served as pallbearers:
II. NJ Woody. r. G. Spratley, Charles
NJ. Gillian. Tom Fiournoy. William
Bowden. Connie Rees and G. c. Wright.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-12
I
Petersburg

. / 4 go \.
especial to The Richmond Virginian.>
Petersburg. Va, Dec. 11.--Lieuten-
ant Crofx, famous Frenchman. VINO
saw three years service on the
western, has been secured to make
the address Of the evening at the
Y. M. @. A. Friday evening. following
the great Red Cross parade which
will precede the big one-day Red
Cross mem bership campaign.
The parade Friday will be one OF
the largest In the history Of the city,
and those in charge Of the affair are
making efforts to secure a second
military band from Camp Lee. Seve-
raj units from Camp Lee, including
one of Red Cross nurses. will take
part In the parade.
The membership campaign will be
for one day only and the workers are
confident that the maximum number
viii be secured. The workers will
begin their task on Sunday at noon,
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-12
Ia Victim, OF Thief.

When III. II. Moore. $50 wythe
street, awoke this morning and start
ed 10 dress, he discovered that thieves
had entered his room during the night
and had thoroughly gone through his
pants pockets. His pocketbook, con-
timing nearly $40 in change, had
been taken and his clothes thrown on
the floor A pocket knife was also
taken but, so far, nothing else had
been missed from the house.
The thieves gained an entrance
through a rear window and made
their exit through the front door.
which they left open. No clue was
left, but the police were notified and
the house robbers are now being
sought
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-12
"FYu" situation Grave,

With eighty new cases Of influenza
and seven new cases of pneumonia
reported for today. the total number
of cases in this city continues to grow
and the situation Is again becoming
grave. Today's report shows an In
crease Of thirteen cases over that for
yesterday, when the largest number
of cases since the temperance or
the disease here. last week. was re-
ported.
The total number OF influenza eases
here now stands at $40, while thirty
seven pneumonia cases have been re-
ported since the fresh outbreak.
Many Of the cases reported last week
have recovered, but many other cases
have not been reported to the health
authorities, due to the fact that no
physician was called in to the pa
tients.
While the disease is not proving
fatal so far. the health authorities are
repeatedly warning the public to take
every .precaution lest the disease
spread. II this occurs. 1t is thought
that the quarantine will again be
placed in effect.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-12

wage earnerS. ne said, should learn
that var wages were abnormal, and
should patiently and periodically adapt
themselves 10 the changed conditions
that are bound to come, II they don't.
he said, they are bolshe visits. and Amer
len viii have nothing TO do with the
breed
t5ermany's downfall. he averred. was
due to the fact that she has never
striven for unity but has always sought
to divide.
Touching on postwar foreign trade,
~ does not think America viii take
aAvantage Of PROSTATE Europe. lie
1AeaGAt there should be an entente
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-12
PREMIER LLOYD GEORGE

Continued from Page One.)
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-01-11
euRLEsoN's MISCONCEPTIONS.

Charles Johnson Post, in The Pub
lie: 1t is unfortunate that Mr.. Bur-
Lesson, postmaster general, in his an
nual report just issued, seems to give
the impression that he regards the
postoffice department in the light of
any ordinary. profit-making, mercan-
tile enterprise, from whose unorgan1
lied employees must be wrung the
last drop of sweat and whose charges
and balance sheets must be screwed
up to the last penny of profit. This
is the only cabinet officer who takes
such a view of his department 1t
is a principle that is untrue and un-
sound. The fact is that it is a mis-
conception of our great government
tai function. 1t is not established
for profits and earning power, but in
order to serve the needs of the coun-
try.
Mr. Burleson opposes the organi-
cation of the postal employees. ap-
parently lest they too earnestly work
to better the salaries and conditions
established forty years ago, when
living was cheaper and the purchas
ing power of their salaries infinitely
greater; but this is matter which
organized workers are able to dis
cuss. 1t is pitiful thing that a
great government should not set d
high standard of relations between
employer and employe.
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-01-11
WHAT NEXT?

Burlington Hawk-Eye: There are
all sorts of speculations as to what
will be the next step taken by the
president, in order to insure conditions
in this country that will help to win
the war Some people incline to the
jelief that the coal mines will be ma
ionalized, and others are of the opin.
on that in very short time the big
meat packing industry will pass under
the direct control and management
of the national government When
that time comes, there will be some
who will smile a grim smile. A bril-
liant Iowa editor, if he were still in the
land of the living, would arise to re-
mark, Il told you So" 1t was thirty
years ago that Sam clark, at that time
editor of The Gate oIty, and later a
member of congress for the first Iowa
district, wrote that the packers were
fastening the day when the govern
ment would have to take control of
their business.
Mr. Clark was a great editor, he
was a wise man and a shrewd OBJ.
|server. But he was no more infallible
than are any of the rest of US. What
he predicted, never came to pass, SO
far as the meat packing industry is
concerned. And if that industry be
taken over in the near future, it will
rot be because of something that the
| big packers have done or left undone
| in the past, but because of the belief
THAT the war can be won more speed.
lily if this industry is placed under
| government control.