Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-12-29
MEXICO WOULD TAKE
AMERICANS PROPERTY
>., Law Dcrignrd to Confiscntc MIL
u..ils uf Dollars North af i4nd
owned by Americans.

" ANlt I W. ''sNt wv
,.,, constitution adopted last year,
.r n the republic ~ Mexico IL en-
I,..afing TO put into operation, con
an. PROVISIONS which amount to the
,hs uite confscation of many mt
Nom. ~ dollars worth ~ property
aNr,I hy American citizens
This statement was made today by
pepr,-entatiNe stephen q Porter of
venus, l,anin, "a member % the COM
wlttrr on foreign affairs OF the house
Al rrpresentatiNer Mi Porter VIII
!, chairman Of this committee In tns
.,,t congress Continuing he said
Would AoIuirc Property.
"U,sidc prohibiting the acquisition
Al .udH ana soon the holding ~
certain properties bought by foreign
on lriirle g ~ this new constltu-
nor stNs In the nation IN vested
Are ownership ~ all petroleum
.nI ~ HYDROCARBONS solid. liquid
| or ,tscnus IN these few words the
Ne,lpu government proposes TO
,ak, from its owners all the petro-
lenn properties acquired In that
,o,,rnmcnt with the right To- lease
eouufr, hy foreign capital ana vest
hrr pwnrrahip IN the Mexican gov.
,,rr.rri with the right to lease these
I UftiI - w Wv ~ ANlNA NNNNNN y " wv
ovn,rs arc MrNlcnns DR. Mexican cor
pora'nns No American or other
toreicu cooperation may, under tho
new constitution. acquire oil lands
In hnv way
According 10 n report of the de-
pnr'moui ~ commerce on the NeNi.
AN oi situation, on October 7. 1918.
400 100000 W American sapltnl IL
Invested In oil properties In Mexico
while the British capital thus in
vested aggregates 800 00O. 900
'~rNla report saws The most In.
iefcating point about tho American
comp lies IL that apparently. not
one ~ them has ever obtained a CON
ee~ion Of land from tho Mexican
government Their contracts ~ par
| chase ~ lease. II n stated, have In
sverv case been made with private
owners who held titles extending
back often more than $50 years
~ Would Scitc Al Property.
"Nsw II In proposed by the Car
rsnga govcpi ment, under the guise
q constiityonal reform, to forfeit
this vast Ihrperty to the natlaE The
firs, COMMERCIAL oil development I'm
Mexico was undertaken by American
capitalists IN 1900. Al that time the
mining laws ~ 1884 were In effect
Article 10 ~ these laws specifically
stated The following substances
are the exclusive property OF the
owner OF the land who may there
fore develop and enioin them with
OUT tho formallty OF announcement
or special adjudication and named
petroleum among the mineral prod.
ucis covered hy this law. Under the
guaranty of this law American cap
hhl proceeded with the development
Of tho Mexican oil fields with the
result that the production OF petro-
l3nm In that country In 1917 reached
"a 2e3 600 barrels
4 laws are also before legislatures
providing for the confiscatlOn of
hnds OF American corporations, and
helr partition among Mexicans
The United States will stand idle
llnd watch the property OF Its citl.
'Xns being conflscatod by tho Mexi-
ran government IL In contrary 10
M practices OF all civilized nations
ana IN rcpuRnart TO Justice and
equity The state department IL well
Informed Of conditions In Mcsico and
= prepared To- protect the interests
Of American citizens.
Turn Attention 10 McxIco.
IN while the war was In progress
" ovorshndowcd all other events 10
such an extent that the American
people are not generally Informed
Of the high-handcd proceedinss
undcrtaken by tho Mexican govern.
ment In tho name ~ constitutional
fe'islon. nut now that the war Ia
over we should turn our attention TO
AeNico and aerve notice upon Car
nnfa that the long line of nutrages
upon American citizens and their in
erests must cease Under no cir
|inms;ancrs should We alt supinely
nd permit the confiscation ~
\ American property
'stepa should be taken nj once 20
prevent Il ana n the Carrnnza gov
rnment persists In It's course II will
oe brought 10 terms The time has
com" for Strengthening out our rela.
uons with Mexico as has been init.
mated by European investors Mat.
wrs cannot be permitted to drif,
uong m they have been doing We
must insist upon our rights and Sc
cure protection for American lives
shi property
While the American government
mnd paS-ively by during destruction
o' phNscal properties In revolutions
sry disorders, II cannot be- passive IN
ine lace ~ deliberate destrurtion of
kl" ~ property hv governmental act.
W hNSlcnl DESTRUCTION may he un.
toN"llhhle. but deliberate annulmcnt
ot Titles II n voluntary act ~ nu-
utl'y which can ana must be- fore.