The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-01-05
WEEKS ANNOUNCES
 SALE 0E SUPPLIES.
U. s. To Furnish, Mexico En- fields, Ammunition And
 AirpIanes

l WASHINGTON, Jan. 4.-Sale of t5,ooo Enfield rifles, 5,o0o,000 rounds of ammunition for the guns and eight DH-4 surplus airplanes to the Mex ican government was announced to-
 day by Secretary Weeks.
 The transaction was completed during the day when word came by wire to Mexican agents that the gov ernment had transferred funds nec- essary to make one-half of the pay ment in cash, the balance to be paid
 within 30 days. The terms fixed by Secretary Weeks were equivalent to a cash transaction and were accepted by the Mexican government, paving
 the way for immediate delivery of tho war munitions at the army de- pots where they are stored.
 Under the terms of the sale the
 war department]will turn over the rifles and ammunition at Fort Sam Houston and Fort Bliss, while the
 airplaries will be delivered from the depot at Fairfield, O. Orders were issued at once for delivery of the military supplies. it
 About s4oo,ooe 2 ro Q ps 2 Paid.
 Although Secretary Weeks did not disclose the total amount of money involved in the sale on the basis of prevailing prices, it would appear to be Ness than $400.000 as Enfield ri- fles sell at about, $35 each and sur- plus ammunition at about SIS per 1000 rounds, while the airplanes would be valued at about $12,000 each.
 It was reported when first word of the sale of arms to Mexico became expected to spend $750.000 for equip ment. Whether, in view of the ne- cessity of making the deal practically a cash transaction, the Mexico City government found itself unable to go beyond the purchase of the amount of equipment mentioned in today's statement or whether. Secre- tary Weeks found 1t inadvisable to authorize any larger sale has not been disclosed.
 MT. Weeks did not say what other equipment the Mexican government had asked for in its original list, but declared no project for the sale of field artillery and artillery ammu-' milton Is being considered.
 after the United States entered the war to supplement the supply of Springfield rifles and since have been recalled from service and stored as surplus. CuEpAuA StOCAs
 The ammunition also will come from surplus stocks manufactured during the war. Although the eight airplanes which will be delivered to Mexico have been used, they are in good shape and are equipped with Liberty Motors. While there was no opposition apparent in Congress to- day to the sale of arms to Mexico, an authorized statement of the ad- ministration attitude became avail able at the White House which made it plain that the purpose of the Washington government in the .pres- ent transaction which was wholly of aiding a neighbor state in the main. tenance of order and governmental stability.
 Any suggestion that the adminis- tration might have under considera- tion munitions sales to other gov ernments where the question in- volved was aggressive warfare planned by one nation against was rejected
 The American viewpoint is that the United States government must stand ready to give it's aid through the sale of necessary military sup plies to a neighboring' state which needs the equipment for police pur- poses. Where there is any bout as to the purpose for which a govern : ment intends to use arms purchased from the United States, Congress need have no fear of sales being au- thorized. z
 In a general way, however. the Washington government is standing ready to aid in every reasonable way the task of maintaining government tai stability and (the processes of constitutional law and order throughout the Pan-Annerican coun- tries If an European situation arose, it was added, the government would be much slower to act favor ably upon an application to purchase arms here.