Evening star., 1923-12-30
Decision on 0bregon's Plea
Surprise, as 1t Reverses
Policy Set by Mr.. Harding
IN Same Request by Poland.
RIFLES AND TEN PLANES
AMONG ITEMS WANTED
Uprising Believed Unpopular,
Man in Street" Holds Aloof.
Army Officers Silent, But
Thought Opposed to Move.
Sales to Reach $750,0o0 Total.
BY the Associated Press:

Sales to Reach $75O,OOO Total
BY the Associated Press.
The Washington government has
agreed to sell quantity of war ma
terial to the Obregon government in
Mexico.
The decision was reached after a
request for such action had been re-
ceived from the Obregon government
and Is understood to have been
prompted by a desire to aid that
government, which is faced by an
armed uprising.
Although details of the transaction
are still pending before Secretary
Weeks. the material involved Is said
to include military rifles now stored
at Fort Sam Houston or other Army
depots near the border and ten
military airplanes. 1t is probable
that ammunition for the rifles and
other equipment is included. One
report was to the effect that the
Obregon government contemplated an
expenditure of about s750,oO0 for the
material
Reverses Harding Policy.
Decision of the Washington. admin
istration to make the sale came some
what as surprise, inasmuch as
President Harding. on April 20 last,
made a statement Of policy for the
War and Navy departments which
opposed the sale of any surplus mill
tary equipment to foreign powers.
Inquiry at the State Department
produced only the following statement
The Mexican government has pre-
sented a request to this government
to sell 1t q limited quantity Of war
material. This government has ex-
pressed its willingness to make the
sale ip-view of the relations between
this government and the Mexican
government. which were formally rec
ognized last September, and of the
Importance of the maintenance of
stability and orderly constitutional
procedure in the neighboring repub-
lie"
Plenty Material to Sell.
All of the material contemplated
depots in the sth Corps area No
orders have yet been sent by the
War Department to make deliveries,
but 1t Is expected that the rifles will
be taken from surplus stocks of
American manufactured Enfelds
which were turned out in vast guam
titles during the world war. The
War Department also has on hand
vast reserve supply of ammunition.
much Of which probably would be-
come useless with deterioration be-
fore 1t could be used by the Amer
lean Army.
No information was obtainable as
to the type of Army planes likely to
be delivered to the Mexican govern
ment The Army air service also
still has a war surplus Of machines
rapidly becoming obsolete, although
still entirely suitable for the pur-
poses of the Mexican government in
its present conflict with the De Ia
Huerta forces.
Polish Case Set Policy.
The statement of policy in the mat
ter Of sale Of surplus military equip
ment TO foreign powers was laid
down by President Harding in letters
TO Secretaries Weeks and DENLY at
the time that Poland was understood
to have made informal overtures for
the purchase of surplus rifles and
ammunition from the United States.
Following Is the text of President
Hardings letter to Secretary Weeks
on that occa sion:
"Refer1 ing to your inquiry for ad-
vice relative to the sale of surplus
arms and war supplies to proposed
purchasers among foreign powers, 1
am writing to say that / hope it will
be the policy Of the War Department
not only to make no sales Of war
equipment to any foreign power, but
that. you will go further and make
certain that public sales to our own
citizens Will be attended by proper
guarantees that such supplies are
not to, be transferred to any foreign
powers. I would gladly, wave aside
any financial advantage that might
attend such sales to make sure that
mono of our surplus equipment is
employed in encouraging warfare any
place in the world. 1 am writing a
similar note to the Secretary of the
Navy and shall confidently expect the
cooperation Of both departments in
adhering to this policy"
Construed As Blanket Ban.
At the time Of its publication, Pres
fdent Harding's letterNwas generally
construed as blanket prohibition
uDon any sales of war material to
Foreign countries. Decision of the
Coolidge administration to make the
sale contemplated to the Mexican
government was taken. however. as
meaning that in cabinet circles either
q more liberal construction has been
placed upon the Harding policy state
ment. permitting each question of
sale Of arms to- be solved upon It's
scontinusd on Page 2. Column T.,
ss9e