New-York tribune., 1919-02-12
Union Men Saw
Ashurst Seeks
w ar ON Mexico
Pan American Federation
Opposes Bill to Buy Low
er California and Sonora
Calls 1t Oil Exploitation
Senate Bill Is Branded as
Capitalist Step to Grab
Other Latin Republics

In formal statement issued last
night by the Pan-Amercan Federation
of Labor, of which Samuel Gompcrs is
ator Henry +. Ashurst, of Arizona, is
seeking TO use Congress to stir up
strife in Mexico and force intcrven-
tlon by the United States.
The statement was issued through
the American Alliance for Labor and
Democracy by the advisory committee
of the federation, which pins it's at
tack upon Mr.. Ashurst's bill propos-
ing to buy Lower California from
Mexico.
In the statement it is charged that
the real purpose of the bill is to force
MeXica to yield control of her oil
fields and to repeal legislation which
is declared TO be most favorable to
the working class. In it the capitalists
are seeking to exploit Mexico, it is
charged, and once Mexico is disposed
of other Latin-American states will re-
ceive similar treatment.
Responsibility for the statement is
assumed by John Murray. the English
speaking secretary of the federation.
Mr.. Murray Ras been prominent in
labor circles in Arizona and New
Mexico and in the recent Pan -Ameri-
can labor conference held in Laredo,
Texas, where the federation was
formed.
Calls 1t Mere Rlind
Mr. Murray's statement follows:
"Senator Ashurst's bill calls for the
purchase from Mexico of Lower Cali
torpla and the richest part of Sonora.
This bill is (. mere blind to cover other
intentions, because the Senator we'll
knows that an attempt on the part of
any Mexican official or body Of officials
TO sell any part of Mexico to the
United States would cause Mcxicans
to rise in arms
Senator Ashurst has shown a reck-
less disregard to the temper of the
Mexican people. Asked on the floor of
the Senate whether this scheme would
not result III an uprising by the Mexi-
can people, he answered: ooh. we'll.
what is one revolution more or less in
Mexico %"
"The committees statement. which is
signed by Mr.. Murray and Canuto A.
Vargas, joint secretaries of the fed
Grafton, and by Luis N. Morones, sec
retaly general of the Confederation
Regional Obrera Mexicana, reads in
part;
"The capitalistic wealth of the world
is now concentrating in the United
States, and this overwhelming power
OF private wealth is even now COM
menclng campaign which if un-
checked will end in armed intervention
IN the Lati1l-American republic and the
forcing of the workers of the republics
INTO war.
First Point of Attack
"MeXico is the first point of attack.
and, as all Latin America knows, what
is done to Mexico will eventually be
done to all Latin America.
Claims against Mexico for alleged
acts during the last revolution are
being pushed in the United States Con-
gress, claims from citizens of the
United States and England, alone, esti-
mated at total Of over three hundred
millions of dollars in gold. Three
hundred millions more are the esti-
mated vaue of the claims for damages
against Mexico coming from other
foreign nations
TO purchase the claims of the
foreign capitalists now contesting for
the petroleum deposits in Mexico-the
natural resources of the nation as set
forth in the Mexican Constitution and
lnher rted by the nation from the Span
lsh dominions-it is estimated that
VI e%lco would have to pay the sum of
100000 900.
"One billion dollars in claims, the
total Aof all these cap;+a1;e. don,,,l
the people of Mexico cannot pav-a
fact we'll known to these same capital
lists, who have another concealed pur-
pose, namely, to force the revision and
abrogatlon of these parts of Mexico's
Constitution which proclaim for the
workers. a national eight-hour day, the
right of the workers to organize and
strike, the protection of women and
chlldren in industry and scores of
other labor laws. the most liberal vet
devised in the Western Hemisphere