The Washington times., 1919-12-20
BOERSIANER'S
COM MENT ON
BUSINESS
Dy DOERSlANER,


impossible, is an uncomfortable
anomaly. International trade pre-re-
quisites peace. A stable and flour
ishing commerce demands more: IL
requires strong governments on either
side.
treaty. whatever its stipulations,
must be had before much of coase-
quence can be done. trade-wi.e or
otherwise. with former belligerents.
The character of the foreign govern
ments. although OF importance, IL a
secondary consideration- But first "
all there must be technical peace,
After that the individual trader must
judge how he may do business, ard
on what terms, with firms in former
enemy countries.
The strength and prospective per-
manency of government, as sus :
gested. will 60 far in determining the
former trade relations and the amour.
OF the turnover. II American ex-
porters have faith in the Ebert gov
ernment that confidence will be SO
much to the good Of the German I'M
porter; II they are apprehensive Of
an eventual reversion to Junk erdou,
the results OF the misgivings must be
borne by German tradesmen.
Urge New AMgnnept.
Current commercial associations
and financial groups are urging the
new alignment in Washington for q
treaty to make all possible haste.
correspondingly, 1t was stated today
,, the Federal Reserve Board had t..-
sought administrative powers to ex-
pedite the peace.
Mr.. Thomas Edward Gibbons, who
is grounded in affairs, writes peril
| nently on the relations between the
present regime and the foreign own
ers of Mexican oil companies. I'm
entering upon the DEVELOPMENT Of oil
in Mexico" Mr.. Gibbons notes. 1.-The
citizens of the United States and
other foreigners did nothing more
than was done some years ago by
the great European corporations,
financed by the Rothschilds. known as
The Shell Oil Company, in securing
| large areas of oil territory in the
State Of California; the only differ
| ence being that production in this ter.
ritory had been developed as a profit
able business before these foreign in
.terests acquired property, while those
Americana who first entered upon oil
development in Mexico assumed all
the risks Of failure which confront
every pioneer in mining venture.
Quantities Are Shipped.
The foreign company which has
acquired oil properties in California
sells some of its products in this
c,untry and ships quantities Of 1t to
other markets, while all the profits
If the operations. of course, go to the
stockholders abroad. Yet, any citizen
of the United States has done decid-
edly wrong by acquiring and exploit
| ing oil lands in this country and
l a.
property be confiscated, would be re-
| garded as either a lunatic or a GRIM
| inal.
| However, the Carranza party
finding that foreigners. by their in
telligence and enterprise and the in
yestment OF millions of dollars, have
| developed a natural resource into a
valuable economic asset, decides
! that those foreigners have imposed a
grevious wrong upon the country,
which 1t has attempted to cure b.,
adopting Article 81 Of the Constitu-
| tion of 1917.
'Rentais and Royalties.r
Under the authority of that article
the Carranza government is now at
tempting to make the petroleum com.
panies pay 1t rentals and royaltie s
for the privilege of taking the oil
iiotti iohuS tHdl nave Deen IN the pos
session Of private owners for nearly
four hundred years and were acquired
| for price supposed to be full values
paid by the foreigners as the first
step in creating an enterprise which
| has benefited the people of Mexico in
| i hundred ways.
what would the farmers of Penn
| sylvania, West Virginia, Oklahoma
| Texas and California upon whose
| lands oil has been developed think II
the people Of their States should
| adopt constitutions providing that
the oil was public property and insis,
| upon collecting the royalty which the
| private owners Of the land have here.
| tofore received?
"Of course no people that is not
| congenitally immoral as to be in.
| capable OF appreciating the moral
| character of an act would undertake
| to perpetrate such a wrong upon the
| owners Of private property as the
Carranzistas are endeavoring to in
| flict upon the owners Of oil lands
| But 1t is safe to say that so long as
the present government feels that i,
| has the power to carry out thi;
| cnhan1a IF rnhhar1-