The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-03-19

from being bankrupt. Even if she
 were willing, which she is not, to dis
 pose of any of her territory, she does
 not need to proceed to that extreme
 to cover the indebtedness into which
 the revolution has plunged her. Mexi-
 co will pay up eventually, for her
 debts are good and co1lectible. Go
 into the market and try to buy up Mexican national securities. Their scarcity and the comparatively high price which they command will open your eyes on the subject of Mexico-s alleged bankruptcy.
 Now let's see what basis exists for the plaint of the petroleum group in question that their business and in terests in Mexico are being so gravely hampered and damaged as to warrant drastic action, even armed interven-
 tion, by the United States. On their side 1t must be admitted that the
 present status of their holdings in Mexico, according to the interpreta- tion placed by the Mexican author
 ities upon articles 27 Of the new Con stitution, is unsatisfactory. No one | will quarrel with them on that score. Also 1t Is undeniable that they have | prosecuted their business, so far as 1 getting oil out of Mexico goes, under extreme difficulties in the past few
 years. Their camps have been raided. 1 and their employees robbed, murder 1 ed and wounded. They have been i heavily and, some of them assert, un- 1 justly taxed.
 1 Biggest Oil Fleet in World | Revolutionary conditions have not | prevented Mexico from producing 1 sufficient oil to keep in service in i February of this year the unprece- i dented total of forty five tonkers, | aggregating 100, 900 deadweight tons. | This fleet leads all engaged in the oil | traffic under the American flag. fl l is probably the greatest oil fleet in 1 the world. About 35 per cent. of our | tanker tonnage IS absorbed in trans | porting Mexican oil, regardless of the l handicaps which the petroleum peo- | pie say Is being placed upon produc- 1 ton by revolutionary conditions In | Mexico.
 Bids recently called for by Director i of Opera tions Rossiter of the Shipping i Board amount to the record total, of | purchases en bloc, of S2,00O,0 900 bar reIs. All this oil must come from 1 Mexico, for the estimated 1919 output | of petroleum in United States will be | insufficient by 5O.000.oOO barrels for l industrial and other consumption. Oil
 stocks in the United States have been | depleted in the past two years by 1 about 4 5,OO0 900 barrels. This must l be offset by inportations from ob- 1 viously the nearest source of supply Mexico. And no one doubts that i this will be replaced by Mexican oil, i the potentiality of the wells of which 1 country. not materially affected by revolutionary conditions, being ample i to make up any deficiency in the sup | ply of the whole world, providing g 1 tankage could be provided.
 1 There are now approaching compile 1 ton for the Shipping Board thirty 1 four new tankers, and the conversion /, of one hundred wooden hulls into oil 1 carrying barges-primarily for the 1 Mexican trade-is being considered by the board.
 1 Situation Summarized. Now, the point of all the foregoing | is this: Figures show steady in crease for years of production from | Mexico in the face of revolutionary
 disorder Shipments from Mexico are 1 limited only by the amount of ton
 mage available. The potential and
 available supply of Mexican oil Is i greater than Cou4u oe lFahSpoTleu py l any fleet of tankers, which 1t might
 be feasible or possible to construct What, at least so far as potentie i production or available supply goes, 1 have the petroleum people to kick ! about? What Is there in conditions i in Mexico, so far as concerns the 1 providing of all of the oil, and more l that the shipping can take care of, to
 warrant whatever agitation Is being 1 put forth by the petroleum propa- i Eandlsts to egg the United States in | to adopting a stronger policy in | Mexico
 What is the answer?