New-York tribune., 1920-11-08
Texans Acclaim
Harding;Expect
Mexican Action
President-Elect Is Hailed
as Deliverer Who VIII
Adjust Problems That
State Considers Vital
Obregon Farley Doubtful
Attitude Toward Southern
Nation May Be Defined
in Brownsville Speech
From a STAFF Correspondent


AUSTIN, Tex, Nov. 7 Con board
Harding special train) ).-Approaching
the temporarily tranquil Mexican bor-
der on his post-campaign vacation trip,
Senator Warren G. Harding has been
welcomed as might be the leader Of a
rescuing army coming to the relief Of
beleaguereQ people.
The. Presidents elect has an earnest
desire to hook two hundred pound
tarpon from the gulf and play over the
sporty but fat golf course of the
Brownsville Country Club in something
like par. All Texans, however, seem
to want to take their turn at leaning
on the broad Republican shoulder of
Senator Harding and weeping out the
story Of seven years OF Mexican def
ance Of the rights Of Americans.
The population Of Poplar Bluff, Mo,
including the babies in their pcrambu-
lators. remained up until O'Clock this
morning to see and hear the President
elect, and the Senator accommodated
them. The enthusiasm Of Texas is
even stronger than that of Poplar Bluff
and many Lone Star clergymen in
towns along the international and
Great Northern Railway, confronting
empty pews, probably cut short their
services this morning, clappcd their
black hats on their heads and hurried
to the stations to add their yells to the
cheering that welcomed Harding into
democratic Texas.
Obregon Favors Conference
Efforts to arrange a meeting between
Alvaro Obregon. Pres dent-elect of
Mexico, who is scheduled to assume
office December l, and Senator Harding,
have Occupied much space in Texas
newspapers within .hc last few days.
Obregon is reported as being favorab lc
to such a meeting. Recently the Mcxi-
can leader visited the principal cities
OF Texas and made a decidedly favor
able impression.
1t is not likely that Senator Harding
Will agree to any such plan. His acid
test for all such problems is contained
in single question: Is it becoming {?
In 1912, when President Taft pre-
pared to rclinquish his office to Wood
row Wilson, trouble was brewing with
Mexico, and Taft modified the army on
the border so that if Wilson cared to
bring the trouble TO a head he would
not be delayed by physical reasons
Now, when President Wilson in turn
is to relinquish Office to Senator Har-
ding, the question confronting him is
whether to recognize the provisional
ce la Huerta government, wait and
grant recognition after Obregon as
sumca office, or to leave the business as
a troublesome heritage to the Harding
administration.
Inevitably Senator Harding will have
TO deal with the Mexican problem, and
SO scores of emissaries, pretended or
real, have sought within the last few
months to see the Senator and present
the cases OF Obregon. de la Huerta and
other Mexican leaders. None Of these
unofficial ambassadors received any at
tention. 1t is doubtful if any Of them
even talked with the candidate
Oil Holdings Crucial Issue
The big issue between the United
States and Mexico now is the oil con-
troversy growing out of the Mexican
constitutional convention of 1871 From
the time that Cortcz and his conQuis
tadoles took possession of Mexico until
that convention assembled the theory
Of crown rights prevailed in the hold
ing o. land. Under article fourteen
Of the new Mexican Constitution sur
lace and subsoil rights were national
ized. The question whether this was
retroactive was raised If it was retro
active the rights OF American and
British citizens who had capital IN
vested IN the oil and mineral produc-
ing sections of Mexico were infringed.
1t is now suggested that this would
make lit problem for adjudication by
the international world court that is
favored by Senator Harding.
In his Armistice Day speech in
Brownsville. Senator Harding may give
expression to his views regarding the
future relations between Mexico and
the United States In discussing the
Mexican question in his speech accept
ing the Presidential nomination, on
July %, Senator Harding said his
declarations deserved a fuller expires
sion, with some suggestions of plans
Continued page thres)