The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-12-11
MEX|CAAS SEEK
TO NAT|0NALlE
OIL INDUSTRY
This Action on Part Of
Carranza Government
is Pointed Out
u. S. COMPANIES
MAKE PROTEST
Chairman Payne Urges
State Department to
Use Protective Meas
ures at Once
II, aJNDEH n. HARRIS.

Washington. Dec. 1.-the Mexican
government is making good it's scheme
to nationalize the oil industry.
Armed Mexican soldiers have stopped
American owned Gonna MES from drill
ing oil wells aud have locked ur their
tools under government seal.
This procedure on the part or 'he
Careanza administration was hrouE ~
ia the attention " members of "on-
twenty-onc American companies ope-
RI zsng oil wells in Mexico
The matter also aas placed directly
before Pros dent Wilson N = EneHhr an
dum submitted by Chairman Payne. Of
the chipping board. who is anprehen-
sive over the curtAilment II fuel Of.
for the American merchant marine
PAYNE's WARNING.
At the same time Chairman Payne
wrote to Secretary OF state lansing
urgently pressing the Importance or
protecting the American supply OF
Mexican fuel oil from: illegal Interior
ence by the Mexican government
The oil companies protest was in-
serted in thu Congressional Record b"
Representative Garner. Democrat. %
Texas aud Representative Gould. Re-
publican, Of New York. issued = formal
statement dauouneEny the sctien II
Carrsnzs and a.llns ~ the adfE AIS
tyatlon for Immediate steps 10 protect
the interests of tho United States
The pre- dent now has before him
said Mr.. Gould, senator Falls expose
OF tho Boishevistic activities OF the
carransa gsss-nment IN this country
and Judge pAyne,s menorardun show
ing nuc CT thr practical Effects apon
our economic life CT Mr.. Cal.rApza
'netxhhoriv' atfenf tons.
I'm view Of Las information. IL
rrtil he hard for orc Of president
xvse1c4sEaasert intellect sa e:scas s+s the
ss:Apsraon that the Hsxicst govern
rnent deliberately seeks ~ argravatA
The existing iudustrial unr@s- ~ thss
country hut aiding 10 the Sefiousntsss
of tho fuel famine here
COMPANIES PROTEST
The letter Of protest from the oil
companies says, Within the LIST
thirty days tho Mexican government,
csn loving It's armed soldiers has
stopped America n owned com "a nles
from drilling oil wells in Mexico nd
haS iockcd up their tools un5eF gor-
thus DEPRIVED Of the use and enjoy
n,ent IF their own properties And
there exists no justification for these
high handed acts
All of the facts have been COM
rUrlica ted In the state departns ent at
washington. Tho statements NJ the
companies SheN in detan the physical
acts 81 the coniiscation that have oc-
Cured. The eonpauies. being in no
position 10 meet force with iVrc@. are
at the end OF their row.
The avowod purpose Of the MeXi-
can government is to aationalize nc
troleim, ana this is The latest move
10 that end. Naturalization n1e;arS
condscatlon IN this instance. There Is
no prctoIlse Il ccn9p ensation. Just or
otherwise and thore IL also tack rs
tho element of national necessity
PASS PETROLEUM BILL
Information reached the state de-
partlDent today that the Mexican 8. H.
ate has passed the elaborate Carranza
petroleum, bin providing for 'ht en-
forccFnort 81 the corf'aratory DEGREES
by statutory regulation
The ''jeiihe rate,y planned and
timed hostile act o. the NJ xican GOV.
eminent according 10 Representative
Gould, is given added seriousness by
rnaso, Of the fact that II further cur
tails tho fuel supplies o. Inc }nitei
states while Iris country is in the
grin ~ coal famine
Existing wells. iovolving approx.
matcly SO per cent os tho total Mexi-
can production. Mr.. Gould said re-
Gently have started ITO go t. wator"
The new drilling, which Carranza hiss
stopped by force of arms VA sciesign-
ed to locate wells 20 replace hose In
which oil ia no longeT available.