Evening star., 1921-07-14
Editorial Digest
Tampico, Oil and Taxes.

Tampico, Oil and Taxes.
American warships in Mexican wa
ters have again raised a discussion in
the newspapers as to the oil situation
and It's effect upon President Obre-
CONS relations with the United States.
Most of the press looks upon anything
like a show of force that may stir up
trouble as undesirable. while some
feel that the whole question Is one
into which the government is being
forced by oil interests. Obregon comes
in for a share of blame for interfer-
ing with foreign rights. but there are
those who plead his case and demand
further patience" on the part Of
Uncle Sam.
To the Chicago Tribune dndepend-
ent republioan) discussion Of the
Tampico situation gives opportunity
to urge intervention, for diplomatic
agreements" 1t believes, are useless,
and "a protectorate" or IAN arrange
ment such as exists in the case OF
Cuba" is inevitable. The Albany
Knickerbocker Press (republican).
joices in the fact that the day Is
over when an American in Mexico or
anywhere else is not to have the
whole power of his government be-
hind him SO long as he is behaving
himself and within his rights"
This knowledge that the FIRST
thought of the present administration
is the protection Of American lives
is a source of satisfaction to the Buff
falo Express independent repub-
lican). The action which prompted the
sending of warships to Tamp!co, in
the opinion Of the Cleveland Plain
Dealer independent democratic). is "a
great disappointment" to Obregons S
well wishers, for "it savors too much
of the old Carranza policy of heck
ling and irritation"
AS to the direct issue. the threat
ened riots of Oil workers at Tampico.
there is a decided difference of opin-
ion as to just where the rights lie.
Ordering the oil companies to pay a
three month bonus to all men whom
they discharge means that ObreEon is
killing the goose that lays the golden
eggs says the Hartford Times demo
cratIc). because the taxes imposed
by the Mexican government" on oil
are ''confiscatory." heEce the COM
ranies found it necessary to close
their works.
However. not all American writers
are satisfied that this explanation is
justified. ut reasonably may be as
sumed," the Richmond Times-Dis-
patch (democratic) thinks. that an
other factor which has Influenced sus-
pension of shipments is the declining
oil prices in the United States"
The Baltimore Sun independent
democratic) says that throughout
the last few days Americans have
been free to guess that the propagan-
da Of the American oil companies
played far too large part in the de-
iiberations" which resulted in send
ing ships to Tampico to protect Amer
lean rights. which, the New York
ably means the protection of the phys
ical property of the American oil
companies. who are responsible for
the whole trouble"
The Johnstown Democrat (demo-
cratic) is inclined to believe that
directly on the sore spot when he says
that the American group which is
|fomenting trouble in this country for
Mexico is chiefly concerned over
taxes and the Columbia Is. c. State
tdemocratic) suggests that the ele
ment of force majeure" has been in
troduced into our negotiations with
Mexico because the money Of big
business" has called for it.
AS the New Orleans Times-Picayune
independent democratic) looks at It,
there is only one solution-"our own
State Department will have to under
take the necessary though not very
pleasant task of ascertaining whether
the Mexican governments zeal for
revenue collection has cast business
discretion to the winds and has trav-
ersed economic law. or whether the
oil companies. for purposes of their
own. are striving. by unnecessary
shutdowns and labor troubles to
force withdrawal of a perfectly de-
fensible tax levy" At present. how
ever the Harrisburg Telegraph Cre-
publican) remarks, there is a suS-
picion. not wholly unjustifiable. that
the Mexicans, being too shiftless or
incompetent. If not something worse
to develop their own resources, prefer
to subsist on the enterprise of Brit
ish and American oil producers"
In any case. number of ofwriters
feel that there is little to worry
about Says the New York Post (in-
|dependenD "Precisely because he has
taken such firm and open stand
with regard to the whole question of
our relations with Mexico and Obre-
gon, it is out of the question that
Secretary Hughes. putting all other
considerations aside. would lend him
self to the ancient and evil game OF
hunting for incidents as an excuse
for aggressive policies"
There is no cause for excitement.
declares the Columbus Dispatch (in-
dependent). for. as the Canton Re-
pository (republican) explains. there
about the movement of ships. 1t is
merely a step to aid unfortunates in
time of need"