Evening star., 1938-07-12

but face and body retain the stiffness
Of q statue.
I In the interview with your reporter,
President Cardenas took the better
part of one morning to present his
viewpoint on those policies of his ad-
ministration which have been criti-
ciZed most bitterly. especially by the
business and conservative element
here and elsewhere. He also ex-
planned, briefly his political beliefs.
Beginning with oil and ending on the
subject of human happiness. President
Cardenas announced in the course of
this conversation an important new
policy.
Mexico Needs Technicians.
Mexico needs technicians, not only
in the oil industry, but in all our in
dustry and culture" he said. We
want them so much that we are now
taking measures to open our immi-
grafton doors wide to them. We sre
inviting technicians, scholars snd
scientists from Germany, Austria and
Spain. We are going to make it easy
for them to enter the country for
permanent residence, and also because
our laws require citizenship for most
such positions. we are going to grant
it quickly. We want them to stay
with us and help us build.
The first group of scholars. 2l Of
them. is already on the way. We
will bring in more as fast as we or
they can afford it. We are quite sure
that all Mexico will appreciate their
value and will make them welcome"
Did We plan in advance to ex-
propriate the oil companies? No"
President Cardenas answered bluntly,
the question bluntly put. The trouble
was that the companies were very
badly represented, and we told them
so a number of times. We believe
1t was the policy of their representa-
tives to push the issue to the point
where it became a struggle for power.
first with labor and then with the
government.
1T was situation in which it had
become impossible for capital and
labor to work together. When such
a situa ton exists, in q vital industry
especially, 1t is imperative to fnd q
solution that will guarantee the nor
NAL functioning of the industry. The
companies took an attitude calculated
to lengthen and heighten the conflict.
They bargained endlessly.
SpeArhead Of Political Drive.
1T was a political thing. They
have not hestitated to play politics
in the past, trying to make and un-
make governments to their liking.
This time their actions were the
spearhead Of q political drive against
us. For instance. they withdrew their
bank balances long before the ex-
preparation. This money was not
in the slightest danger and its with
drawal started a panic. and brought
about flight of capital which de-
pleted the reserves Of the Bank of
Mexico.
They are still trying to UNDER
mine us. They want to teach us
that appropriation dosen't pay. But
| tllcy CdIIlOb UO uS dS HuCu uAIm Is
they hope. If we had not intervened,
they would have paralyzed the in
dustry. and that would have been a
vary grave matter indeed. We had
to choose between an economic crisis,
with the Government in control, or
an economic and political crisis, with
an offensive backed by foreign capi-
tai, being carried on against us. No
government can tolerate this.
I'VE have not yet arrived at a SET
tlement because the companies want
either immediate payment in cash
or the return of the properties. We
would lay an impossibly heavy
burden on the country If we tried
to pay in any other way than as we
propose-with the profits or proceeds
Of the industry itself. AS to return
ing the properties-y say you have
just been to the oil fields yourself; ;
then you know the feeling there
What do you think would happen
to government that would now make
such q move? We could never con-
slider It, Moreover, even If the COM
panies came back-and this il com.