The Llano colonist. [volume] (Llano, Calif.) 191?-1937, 1922-12-02
CAUGHT WITH THE GOODS
lBY me- Federated Press

Washington. - Secretary of State
Hughes has clear conscience en- Mex
leo. Being caught in the act of telling
that country what kind of laws it
should not pass affecting American oil
corporations is politically unpleasant
to Hughes. but it does not ruffle his
spiritual calm.
Our present secretary of state is a
mystic. He is religious. He believes
in the manifest destiny Of the United
States to rule the entire western hem
isphere. and as far beyond as our well
fare suggests. The word of Charge d
Affairs Summerlin telling the Mexican
congress what to do was. in Hughes
mind, the voice of God debating new
code in the interest of his favorite peo-
pie. the American oil magnates.
But. if the spiritual Hughes is well
content. the political Hughes is vastly
disturbed by the revelation of his CO.
ercive tactics toward Mexico. The in
telligent and practical, or non-religious
side of the secretary of state tells MIN
that this expose of his tactics comes at
the worst moment imaginable.
In this limping march between the
cradle and the grave. Mr.. Hughes we'll
knows that his big asset is his reputa-
ton for honest liberalism. 1t almost
made him president few years ago.
1t might have made him president two
or six years from now if he could have
kept it alive. Seeing it torn to shreds
and cast upon the wind fills him with
dismay.
When cruel circumstances forced
Hughes to become the platform cham
pion Of Senator Newberry. the secre-
tary of state must have thought the
worst of evils had arrived. Pleading
for the Michigan corruptionist, he had
also to plead for Frelinghuysem. Lodge,
Kellogg, Poindexter, and all the other
human symbols of chicane. reaction,
and corporation rule. And, when the
people scorned and repudiated those
men on election they scorned and re-
pudiated Charles Evans Hughes.
Other political consequences of the
exposure in Mexico City are that the
Central American delegates summoned
here by Hughes for a conference Dec.
6. will come in a suspicious mood,
while the whole of Latin America is
given fresh and impressive warning
of what the United States is bent upon.
The secretary's hastily published ex-
cuse fer meddling in Mexico is worse
than feeble. By telling the Mexican
congress it must not enact a proposed
oil law, Hughes was, he states, merely
giving the advice which he thought
Mexico desired from him. That excuse
is refuted in the printed exchange of
notes.
On Oct. l9, Attache Summerlin sent
to Foreign Minister PAM of Mexico a
copy of a proposed oil law, with the
statement 4 will appreciate very much
if an official copy can be given me
for the information of the department
of state" Almost by return mail, PAM
replied that President Oregon knew
nothing about the alleged bill forward
ed by Summerlin, and that the Am
erican government would be notified
concerning new oil laws after they were
presented IN congress.
Summeflin refused to wait for the
Mexican congress sto introduce bill.
On Nov. IS. and without ever being
askd for his advice. he again wrote to
PAM, saying:
'Mr. Summerlin has received in
structions from his government to
advise MI. PAM that the project
of petroleum sent personally to
to Mr.. PAM on Oct. l9 is entirely in
adequate for the protection Of legally
acquired rights of American citizens. .
To this affront. President Oregon
replies; The honor and sovereignty of
Mexico make it impossible absolutely
to accept laws which receive the pre-
vious censorship of governments of
other countries"