New Britain herald., 1924-02-11
NEW BRITAIN DAILY HERALD MONDAY, FEBRUARY H. 1924

tisans of all parties in public life united as they were in the great war in a common effort to destroy cor ruption and to bring the government back to honesty.
 Explains His Actions
 T should like to supplement my letter of February [, with some of the reasons that prevailed upon me to represent Mir. Doheny's companies professionally in his Mexican difficult ties.
 Article 27 of the Mexican constitu- ton of May l, 1917, was an attempt to assert ownership by the Mexican government in the mineral deposits of the sub-surface of lands in Mexico. If this article should be given retro active effect it would result in the confiscation of properties of American citizens lawfully acquired prior to the adoption of that constitution. This presented a grave situation for Ameri- can property rights in Mexico so grave in fact that the Wilson admin istration on April 2, 1918, through Ambassador Fletcher at Mexico City, filed a solemn protest against it. This attitude was consistently maintained by the Wilson administration through out it's life. When the Harding ad- ministration came in, Secretary Hughes adopted the same policy. This policy was insisted upon by the American commissioners to Mexico, I understand it, was practically made a condition of recognition of Mexico by the United States.
 During the year 1918, I was di- rector general of the railroads of the United States. The fuel problem was one of the most serious with which we had to deal. I was then made to- realize kecnly the tremendous inn portance of fuel oil from Mexico.
 Supply Is Essential
 "A great number of American in- dustrics along the Atlantic seaboard were dependent upon Mexican oil. The preservation of this fuel oil supply was then and is now essential to our internal economy. Not alone is this true. but the question Of an adequate oil supply and of an adequate oil re- serve is one of tho most important for any nation under conditions of modern warfare. In fact the crucial test in the next war, if one should come, is going to be not alone war machinery and appliances but control of an adequate supply of petroleum to meet the needs of national defense and offenso. 1t is no cNaggeration to say that the strongest nation in pe- troleum resources will be the most likely victor in such contest. For all of these reasons. therefore, the American government and the Amcri- can people were interested in pre- serving the Mexican oil supply. which was lawfully owned or controlled by American citizens.
 Tn 1915 I called the first Pan American financial conference in Washington. II was attended by all l the South and Central American re- publics except Mexico, which was then in state of revolution. Tho fol- | lowing year, 1916, l attended the first | session of tho international high com ! mission Of all tho South and Central ] American republics at Buenos Aires . in the Argentine. At this session were | discussed economic, financial and oth- CT problems Of great consequence 10 | the whole of Latin America, and I gained familiarity with conditions | prevailing throughout South and Gen. tral America, which could not havc ! been secured in any other way. I was deeply interested, not alone in these economic and financial problems but in promoting closer and better rec lations between the United States and all of these republics.
 Had Good Reputation
 "Mr. Dohcny's companies, as well as Mir Doheny enjoyed an enNiablc repu- tation when he called on me in 1919. His companies were the outstanding independent oil companies furnishing the required supply of Mexican fuel oil to our industries along the Atlantic They were also the only strong companies offering competition with the so-called 'oil trust" in the United States. For the purpose O, preserving competition and securing Inc essential supplies of fuel oil for our industries along the Atlantic sea- board, 1t was highly desirable to pro- .ect, by every legitimate and proper means. the oil bearing properties of X merican citizens in Mexico.
 "Wben Mir. Doheny, therefore. ask d my firm to act for him profession