Evening star., 1920-11-28
FRENCH SEE Peril
/. T0u.S S. OIL SUPPLY
Expects to Follow British
Lead Which Threatens
American Marine.
ny PERTINAx.
Henri Geraud. Editor TEcho de Paris.)
iRy Cable to The Star Copyright 1Q2Ol

PARIS, November 27.-The note from
the United States government concern
ing Mesopotamian Oil. recently reported
as having been sent to London. was not
announced by the British foreign Office
until Thursday, which, therefore, surely
ought not to have been on a day Of
Thanksgiving in. America as far az her
commerce and Navy are concerned Tho
situation Is Of world Importance. natur-
ally. although principally unfortunate
for the United States. With regard to
the protest made by America to the
British foreign office it should be said
that but one protest has been made to
Paris. that Of last May, on the morrow
of the San Reno agreement.
I understand that Premier Leygues,
when in London during the coming week,
win go over with Lloyd George among
other eastern questions this one concern
ing oil, which is recognized as being
of supreme importance. 1t will be an
extraordinary situation II as the result
Of the great war the United States, in
the past the worlds chief source Of oil
supply, should md itself without fuel
for its merchant marine and Navy,
which it is rumored here now is feared
in America
-. Lloyd George May Act.
"A new development recently has
occurred. After. many vaccilations
Lloyd George is believed to have
made up his mind to curb that Meso-
potamian monopoly by the Anglo
persien: company which has caused
company the British government
holds such q majority Of beth pre-
ferred and ordinary shares ~ to In.
sure complete control. The synqi.
cate controlled by the Anglo Persian
company and represented ~ the
Of Turkey r6ssessedf only sesper cent
control OF Turkish government con.
cession. other shares having been ale
located In equal proportion to the
pssfcnss s., ss9a eSd !. fas n 70 pudSe sSs
Deutchss Hahk shares ErancA fell
heir at the San Reno coufereriee. For
q long time the British government
felt inclined to confirm the privileges
Of this syndicate, assuming that Its
prior rights might be censidered to
bar the way Of an American claim
for an open door with regard to PEE
froleum with equal opportunities for
the United States. Lately the view
seems to have obtained in British
quarters that way could be found
Of sweeping away the so-called 1914
concessions and completely barring
tho United States from the field by
advancing q plea on behalf Of 0ae
Arab state as constituted under Brit
ish control. That 10 the present sit-
uation, and It seems to be disastrous
to American interests.
France Net Entitled t. DefenA.
Let me say At once that I do not
advance this statement with a view
10 sowing trouble between Great Brit
ain and America. but in order to make
clear the fact that only through the
complete Cancellation Of the rival eco
-nomic policies Of the two great Eng
nations lies the para
mount interests Of France.
In order to reaAze the present state
Of affairs It must be explained that
because Of the clause embodied In the
San Reno Oil agreement France IL not
entitled to raise a finger in support
Of the 1914 syndicate through which
she was given the Is per cent Ger.
man share. She has pledged herself
In. case England would enforce the
cancellation Of the 1914 concession, to
accept exclusion from q purely Brit
ish state monopoly to be set up As .
substitute OF the petroleum syndicate
and to be satisfied with presumption
of . quarter Of the oil output.
not French interests could not have
been better safeguarded by pressing
England to confirm the position OF
the petroleum ,syndicate and making
an alliance with the other holder Of
q quarter interest In the Royal Dutch
that Basil Zarahof, the now famous
anancier and oil promoter, who start
ed life as q Greek bank clerk in
Spain and stepped to wealth through
winning two million pesetas in q
Spanish lottery, later becoming the
English munitions firm. Vickers Linz
tied. was able to influence the French
government in favor of the Anglo.
Persian In which he is interested. He
Is fond Of making gifts to great pub
lie institutions. but usually they are
such as bear fine indirect returne.
France Pledged to Follow.
Whatever the case may be France
now is pledged to follow blindly in
the track OF the Anglo-Persian. which
In the judgment of Americans here
cannot be regarded as o procedure
favorable to American interests Sup
porters Of this policy emphasize the
fact that in order to enlist British
assistance not only In the east. but in
the whole field covered by the Yer.
sailles treaty, France 10 unable to
run the risk Of an exchange Of eco
nomic blows with the British gov
srnment, and there Is great force in
that argument. Moreover, every 9TH
er policy 10 fraught for France with
governmental difficulties greater
than those presented II she sided wit h
British economic interest. For in.
stance, France cannot easily Join the
nations clamoring against the exist .
ence of raw material monopolies be-
cause deprived Of coal al she is she
possesses iron ore, phosphates and
colonial produce In immense quaint.
ties. Neither can she seek any eco.
nomic combination with America
which would be inimical to British
interests, as America 20 far has shown
little inclination to help her. The only
way out Of the impose seems to lie Ia
Anglo American harmony. and France
may be relied upon to do. everythine 2
| in her power to help. bring It about.
BERLIN RECOGNIZES MEXICO.
MEXICO CITY, November 27.-Ias
Noticias. an afternoon newspapeS
1 kxak -.