Evening star., 1918-08-15
THEORY OF MEXICO
MAKES BAD BLOOD
Insistence Upon Non-Interfer-
ence in Internal Affairs
Would Prove Boomerang.
PRECEDENT AGAINST IDEA
BY DAVID LAWRENCE

FhECEUENi AuAlNSl iDEA
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Copyright 1918, by the New York Evening
| Post Company
Mexico tells Great Britain that the
latter has no diplomatic right to entel
protest against acts of interior organi.
cation, such as the oil decree imposing
heavy burdens on British oil COM
panies.
That raises an important point In
diplomatic intercourse which cannot
fail to be of concern to the United
States While the Department OF
State preferred today not to discuss
the merits of the oil controversy. as
argued In the note from tho Mexican
| government to Great Britain. 1t was
apparent that the Washington gov
ernment was interested in the cor1
respondence.
Far-Reaching Theory.
It is a principle that II vital not
alone to the oil problem. but might
conceivably be raised with respect to
every other question in Mexico af-
| fecting foreigners and their trade.
Says the Mexican note:
THE surprise of the Mexican gov
ernment Is legitimate. as would be
that of any other government OF a
free country, including that of his
acts Of interior legislation. such as
the right Of imposing contributions.
were called into question by the diplo-
matte protests Of the countries Of
subjects affected by the imposition"
There is no question about the abso-
lutte right of any sovereign nation to
make any laws that 1t pleases. con-
fscatory or not. but international re-
latfonship Is not based upon the exef-
else Of absolute rights. but upon a
consideration of the interests of other
nations. and particularly their friend
ship.
If the United States wished to do
| SO 1t could forbid the export of any
article Of food or commerce. from this
country to Mexico. There is no ques-
tion about the absolute right to dc
SO; yet. when an embargo was re-
Gently decreed by the Washington
government, the authorities at Mexico
were quick to point out. and, and quite
posed hardships on the people OF
Mexico.
In the interest of friendship And
| good relations between the two coun-
tries. the Omitted States modified its
DEGREES and. in a sense, recognized
| the right of Mexico to make repre-
sentations concerning governmental
action that might affect her-.ad-
yersely. That Is an age-old priHcipie.
and u It were % overturned ,na d., BY Msniso So
would ind themselves isolated ip,the
family of rAtfohs. ~, ,ss3 IS isiiss 6ss.
Ante-Legislation Protests. :
Not only is It proper for govern
ment to make protest against leSis-
lation enacted by other governments.
but 1t is considered legitimate to
enter protest even before laws are
finally passed.
Japan has frequently entered diplo-
matte protest against discriminatory
bills, eyen while they were In the
commfttee stage in the House or Sem
ate. And the Department Of State
has used its influence with the 1egis-
lative branch of the government to
see that the proposed legislation was
abandoned or modified. Great Britain
has done the same thing.
Attitude Of Germany.
About the only country which has
cared little for the diplomatic pro-
tests of other nations has been Ger
many, which suddenly adopted legfs-
lation on one occasion which amount
ed to confiscation of the entire prop
erty of the Standard Oil Company In
Germany. Similarly the government
of Germany brushed' aside certain pot
ash contracts and maintained that II
commercial contracts by Legislation
at any time she pleased
Germany's course brought her into
disrepute rapidly. It was an adop-
tion by the Berlin government of the
ruthless policy of not caring for the
| interests of other nations or their
friendship that drove the German peo-
pie to their present plight
Mexico argues that the British COM
panies have redress in Mexican courts.
Were the judicial system not 80
closely Influenced by the action Of the
executive branch Of the government
in Mexico, this would be q reasonable
national tribunal of appeal in exist
ence the suggested procedure would
not be Objectionable.
Moreover. with the heavy financial
burdens that the war imposes, the
companies would have to pay the tax
and depend upon a long-drawn-oui
| litigation to be justly reimbursed
Technically this course may In the
| end satisfy the demands OF justice
but it imposes injustice at a moment
when the allied nations are engaged
in life-and-death struggle.
Another Day Coming.
If Mexico chooses to be technical
and absolute and to gouge the allies
at time when they can least AFFORD
| to be gouged, there may come an oc-
casion when the triumphant entente
will be turning to Central and South
America again to collect long-pendine
claims and there will not be the same
disposition to let these debts go un-
paid.
There may not be the same disposi
tion also to consider the hardships ol
internal revolution and economic or.
| ganization. The tntercession Of thu
United States as between Europear
nations and Mexico may not be a.
| strong diplomatically as II might hays
been under other circumstances.
! Mexico's note reveals a philosophy
OF international relationship which
even the best friends of Mexico in thu
United States consider will, In the
long run. seriously impair her friend.
ship with other countries
GERMANY, In DEFEAT,