Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-07-01
Washington Government
Looks Upon Carranza's
Action as Overt.
TRYING TO FORCE
LAND CONFISCATION
Mexico Suddenly Turns Defiant and
German Influence 10 Seen Behind
Present Defiant Attitude-Mexico
Hoped to Force Admission That Gov
crnment Owns Oil Lands Hold by
Purchase Title by Americans.

Washington, July 1.-The Mexican
government has committed an overt
act Of confiscation in preventing Am
erican oil drillers to work on tho
land owned by American individuals or
companies by sending soldiers into the
field and driving away the workmsn,
state department officials said today.
The order to the military forces TO
prevent drilling by force of arms was
issued by President Carranza last
Monday. May 16. according TO advices
from Mexico City. The petroleum dc =
partment instructed the Mexican war
department, by direct orders of Car
rama. to use any force necessary to
prevent drilling without permits. a.
the the lands on which the drilling was
being done were legally acquired by
the present owners.
The war department transmitted the
orders with specific directions as to
action to be taken by the soldiers to
the military commanders at Tampico
and Tuypam, and Immediately com
panies of soldiers were sent into the
field. 1t was not known how any drill
ing gangs were driven out Of the oil
field by the soldiers, but two have
been reported and raids have been
made, according to official reports on
other oil workers.
State Department Protests.
The state department filed a pro-
test with the Mexican government
April 2, last, It was learned, against
the refusal of Carranza authorities to
permit .Americn oil companies to drill
wellA on their own lands.
The Mexican government has just
replied. declaring no permits. provi-
sional or otherwise, would be granted
to companies that had not complied
with the laws" which compliance
Mexican government owned the lands
legally acquired by the companies. O..
1t was pointed out in official circles
that the reply of Carranza was not
made until after the American troops
crossed the border and drove the VII
listas out of Juarez.
Since then Carranza has ordered
troops to the oil fields to prevent fol.
cibly the oil companies from drilling
wells or doing other construction work
in connection with the production of
oil.
See Hun Propaganda.
The Mexican government until now
has respected the protests made by the
United States. Great Britain. France
and Holland against the seizure Of OF!
lands, but has engaged in continuous
campaign to Coerce the American COM =
panies into admitting that the Mexican
government owns the lands Such an
admission would have the effect of
making the protests of the state de-
partment meaningless.
1t has been definitely established ac-
cording to Mexican advices. that Ger
man influence Is still behind the Car
rama tactics. German agencies have
been steadily at work since the signing
of the armistice to secure the Mexican
oil and other trade for Germany. The
exclusion Of Mexico from the league OF
nations has been feature OF this EN-
tente" between Germany and Mexico.
Order Fuel in West.
r Forced to abandon the plan to main
tain large naval force in the Pacific
or to commander enough fuel oil to
supply the new fleet, the navy depart
ment yesterday placed navy orders
with west coast concerns for sufficient
gasolene and fuel oil to supply the de-
mands Of the large naval force recent
ly ordered to the Pacific.
3 Under the navy orders placed today
the west coast concerns will be re-
aulred to supply the navy's demands
and to accept a price to be fixed later
after the navy department has care
fully investigated the cost Of produc-
ton and delivery at Pacific coast
POINTS