Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-08
NORTH AMERICAN
BLUFF" MARKS OIL
ISSUE, SAYS HUERTA
Mexican Head States It Is
Up to World to Accept Ma
ton as Friend.
By the Associated Press.


MEXICO CITY. September S.-Cer-
tain suggestions relative to the ad-
ministration of federal zones in con-
nection with the petroleum opera
tions are included in q letter the
Mexican foreign ofioe has received
from George r. Summerlin charge
diafaires at the United States em-
bsasy. In sdiscussang this letter yes
terday Provisional President de la
as /: ssf s .on.. j ], Ass &, al, p properly d, L.
81 the nation. which maintains. she
has 4 right to dispose of them as she
desires A departure from this pol
ICY would mean the loss Of the ma
tion's sovereignty" -
The provisional president declared
this letter to be the only communi-
cation relative to petroleum sent to
the foreign office by the United States
Critieises OIL Canpaiga.
Mexico has no desire to curtail
her expectations of oil to the United
states. the provisional president
continued, land the campaign @waged
there relative to the oil question is
can blur by enemies Of the Mexican
government" =
Asked If Mexico could exist without
recognition of her government from
the United States. de Ia Huerta de-
clared:
1--WE are still existing. Mexico has
expressed her willingness to be on
friendly terms with the world at large
and now it is up to the world to de-
eide whether it wants Mexico as a
friend"
The federal zones, the provisional
as national reserves, but would be
given out under concessions, under an
agreement. to pay royalty of Is per
cent Of the oil produced, which would
be sufficient to meet the governments
needs.
He denied the government intended
to confiscate the vested rights Of COM
panies operating wells in these zones.
and asserted the petroleum question
could be settled If the Mexican gov
ernment's rights were recognized He
intimated foreign corporations did not
desire settlement Of the question.
saying:
This would force them to exhibit
their titles to all lands and many of
these. titles are defective"
Paeiaeation Of Republic.
e.
clarcd to have been the most important
success of his administration by Pro-
visional President de la Huerta yester-
day, while discussing conditions in this
country. He added the Industrial oues-
ton was the most important now con-
fronting the government -.
Critics of my administration" he
said. cannot understand why the pres
ent regime has been able to meet the
financial demands upon it. They do
not realize the de facto officials are
without love for other peoples money"
The provisional president fatty de-
MED the revolution had been supported
by any interests outside of Mexico, and
asserted there would be no changes in
his cabinet. in spite Of rumors that
have been current. He announced his
intention of turning over to congress
on September 80 the extraordinary
financial powers which that body had
conferred on the late President Car
rama.
All constitutional laws enacted dur
ing the Carranza administration will
be recognized by the de facto govern
ment. but Carranza's doctrine rela-
tive to Latin American unionism, is
not supported. The present govern
ment sympathixes instead. with the
ideal OF internationalism. The pro-
vistonal president said he, personally,
believed in the single tax, and that
under it the tax burden might be
greatly reduced.
Advocates Dry Zone.
The present government proposes to
establish, a dry zone" along the
American frontier, and intends to cur
tail liquor trafic in other parts Of
the re ublic. he said.
1.-THE greatest service the United
States can render Mexico" declared
de la Huerta, would be the recogni-
ton OF Mexico's rights relative to
legislation concerning internal affairs.
and likewise to refuse to permit pri-
vate interests to influence the gov
ernment's procedure"
Human interest was injected into
the interview with the provisional
president by half dozen foreign cor
respondents, when q Mexico City re-
porter bluntly asked de Ia Huerta
how much money he possessed. The
provisional president did not reply
in words, but quietly laid on the table
. few coins amounting to about 1920.