New Britain herald., 1927-02-18
KELL0GG'S REPORT
UP FOR CRITICISM
Mexican Govt. Questions Oil
Statement

Mexico City, Feb. 1s.-R-- The
Mexican department Of commerce
and industry challenges the accuracy
of Secretary Kelloggs recent report
to the American senate on the Mex
lean oil situation in declaration
published today.
While the departments statement
is made. 1t says, with the intention
of "rectifying errors contained in
press dispatches from the United
States, originating perhaps from
vicious information spread by a
group OF interests opposed to the
Mexican laws" the main points
dealt with are those made In Secre-
tary Kellogg's report.
1T has been stated" the declar-
alton begins, that out of forty
American companies owning oil
lands in Mexico only four have ap-
piled for confirmatory concessions In
accordance with the law. There are
sixteen, not forty, such proprietary
companies, OF which half have
SOlclted COMBINATIONS.
at the end Of 1925, one hundred
and forty-seven oil companies were
operating IN Mexico. OF which 49,
a great majority accepted the new
legislation.
1T is said that the Penn-Mex and
Texas oil companies are not carrying
on actual production. Neither Of
these companies has ceased to pro-
duce petroleum. The total produc-
don OF both companies during the
last six months was between 100000
and ESQ., barrels monthly"
No Property Titles
ut Is affirmed" the statement
continues, that the east coast and
New England oil companies have no
property titles. The first owns land
and the second does not, but even so
it must be remembered that in Mex
leo as in all oil countries companies
only exceptionally purchase the land
on which they drill or intend to drill
their wells, and in the majority OF
cases they acquire titles Of diverse
natures, such as leases, concessions,
ct cetera.
Among the companies refusing to
accept the new legislation the fol-
lowing are especially cited: Atlantic
Refining Company, Atlantic Gulf Oil
Corporation, Humble Oil and Rein
ing Company, Island OIL and Trans
port Corporation, Standard Oil of
California, Standard Oil Of New Jer-
sey, Mexican Company Anglo
Mexican Petroleum Company, Royal
Dutch Shell, and Leopold Newborg.
w. L. Hernstadt and Malcolm Ander-
son.
Names Unknown
"Of the mentioned names, the fol-
lowing are totally unknown, and are
not or never have been registered in
the petroleum department: Newborg
and Hernstadt. Anderson since 1917
has not figured in the official records
as effecting oil operations. No notice
was had OF the Humble company
operating In Mexico either directly
or by subsidiary, though 1t Is known
that 1t is affiliated with the Standard
Oil Of New Jersey, this perhaps being
the reason for it's interest in our
petroleum affairs.
THE Atlantic Refining and At
lantic Gulf and Mexican Petroleum
through their affiliated companies in
Mexico do remain opposed to the
law. The other companies either to-
tally or partially have accepted the
law. Thus, Of the Island Oil COM
pany, one subsidiary has accepted
and two have rejected the law. Its
refinery has been closed since 1924.
THE Standard Oil OF California,
through its only known subsidiary,
the Richmond Petroleum, fully ac-
'cepted the law. OF the Standard Oil
of New Jersey, its subsidiary, Trans
continental Petroleum, submitted
part Of its land to the law, while
Penn-Mex submitted all it's lands.
The Compania Mexicana De Com
bustibles, connected with the STAN
dard Oil Of New Jersey, submitted
all its lands.
"Of the Dutch Shell, the Aguila
Oil company submitted part of it's
lands, while other subsidiaries, such
as Corona, Tampico Panuco, P. ].
Unida De Petroleo and T. P.
Hicks, fully accepted the law. AS is
seen. of the mentioned companies
opposed by the law, practically a
small number has not accepted the
law.
1T is stated that the oil companies
opposed to the new law, control