The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1922-03-10
(By Samuel Gompers, in the Amer
ian FederatiOnist)

JfdG
compares favorably with the degree
of public order maintained in any
other country.
If the state department of the
United States is operating under the
formula laid down by former Presi-
dent Wilson in his refusing to recog-
nize the usurper the dictator Huerta.
as it seems to be, the administration
of President Oregon has undoubt-
eddy met all the requirements of that
formula and is entitled to recogni-
ton.
1t is true that the United States
government, through the state de-
partment, has asked the government
of Mexico to enter into a treaty
prior to tn eextending of recognition
1t must be admitted, however, that
the Mexican administration has had
all the better of the argument on
this point.
1t sets forth that it cannot in
honor enter into an agreement which
would compel it to do those things
which it intends to do and is doing.
This position is one which commands
the respect of those who are not in
downright opposition to everything
Mexican. 1t is commended, further
more, that such a treaty, even if en-
tered into, would be a ridiculous
proceeding, inasmuch as a treaty
with an unrecognized government
and that what the American state
department is seeking-would be,
after all, a worthless instrument
unless ratified by the Mexican gov
eminent following recognition.
Americans who are not preiudiced
one way or another by a desire to
get possession of Mexican natural
resources upon the most favorable
terms and conditions, are coming
more and more to the conclusion
that there has been something more
than diplomacy at work in the rela-
lions between the two countries. 1t
is fact beyond dispute that Amer
lean capitalists have sought to shape
the policy of the United States in
such manner as to bring to Ameri-
can investors the largest possible
return. When these investors felt
that intervention in Mexico would be
a good thing for them. they were for
Intervention. More recently it evil
IDENTIFY has been their conviction that
by attempting to retard the granting
of recognition they could wiring
larger concessions and more favor
able investment terms from the Mex
lean government.
1t is quite possible that the COM
plete story of the intrigues of Amer
lean bankers, American oil interests
and American investors and would
h.
land and timber resources, will never
be known. Sufficient is known,
however, to make certain the fact
that the amount of intrigue has been
much larger than that of which we
have knowledge.
In this connection it is interesting
to note the curious conduct of Will
lam Randolph Hearst through his va
rious newspapers is now attacking
and exposing the National Assn. for
the Protection of American Rights
in Mexico, the principal organized
exponent of American imperialism in
Meyico and the principal organized APP
petite for Mexican oil and other nat
ural wealth. 1t is being shown that
representatives of this organization
engaged in an intrigue for the TO-
menting of an armed rebellion
against the government of President
Oregon, the leader of which was to
have been General Pablo Gonzales.
OF course. if this plan had succeed
ed, Gonzalez would have become
president of Mexico and the servile
tool of the American investment in
tereSts.
At about the time when the Ma
tional Association for the Protection
of American Rights in Mexico is
shown to have engaged in CONVERSE
tiols with General Gonzalez, with
view to the overthrow of the estab-
lishe0 government in Mexico. the
American Federationist published
detailed expose of that association
and made clear its purpose and the
character of its operations. In the
American Federationist for June,
1920, in which the National Associa-
ton for the Protection of American
Rights in Mexico was fully dis
cussed. the following conclusion APP
pears:
"The conviction is unacceptable that
the association has for it's purpose
the arousing of suspicion, distrust
and enmity in the United States to-
ward Mexico. They may never use
the word intervention and they may
decry its use but what need have
they to ask for intervention if they
can get everyone else to demand it!
Their propaganda is of a character
calculated to arouse anger and re-
sentiment. Once begin a search for
information about Mexico in the
offices of SAT Fifth avenue, New
York City, and you find yourself at
the beginning of trail which con-
sist of one denunciation after an
other, one condemnation after an
other. one criticism after another. of
things Mexican and of every policy
of the government of the United
States which seems to indl ate a de-
sire for peaceful and harmonious re-
lations between the two nations"
This was shortly after the conclu-
sion of the celebrated hearings held
by the senate committee. presided
over by Secretary of the Interior Fall
then a member of the senate. The
National Association for the Protec-
ton of American Rights in Mexico
made the fullest possible use of the
hearings conducted by Senator Fall
and it was freely charged that the
association cooperated in the secur-
ing of witnesses and that the attor-
ney for the Fall committee was on
the most friendly terms with the
officers of the National Association.
The manner in which the hearings
were conducted lent much color to
these assertions.
At the time when the National
Association for the Protection of
American Rights in Mexico was most
busily engaged in propaganda and
intrigue. the Hearst newspapers not
only were silent. but were publishing