The Washington times., 1938-10-29
BY PAUL MALLoN-

7,5OO,OUO DarrelS. WnaC makes
the contract so interesting is in
formation that the Mexican gov.
ernment recently acquired a
$1,250, 900 mortgage on the
American company, which would
indicate that President Cardenas
is exporting the confiScated oil
from himself in Mexico to him.
self in Texas.
Current investigations Of the
tricky situation have not been
completed, but the Government
is working on data indicating
CardenaS is selling at 10 cents
barrel against a domestic price
of $1.10.
From Their "OuDn Wells"
MEXICAN sources have told
IVA this Government unoffi-
cially the oil is not the same
Cardenas took from American
companies. It Is from the Mexi-
can governments "own wells"
they Say, a description some
what like the surplus Mexican
oil" which a Detroit concern
has announced it is going to buy.
This Government is trying to
find out whether it can get at
the situation under the anti.
dumping law, while the oil in
dustry is trying to find out
whether there is legal ground
for seizure as stolen property.
Treasury has already suspended
appraisements on these imports
and has ordered the consul at
Houston to ascertain If decep
ton Is being practiced on the
grade.
While this Government has
seldom been apprehensive about
what might happen to an
American oil company, figuring
the worst might be too good,
it is checking on what the Brit
ish did in the same situation.
An International News Service
dispatch from LIE Havre, Octo-
ber 10, announced the French
civil tribunal there upheld Brit
ish seizure of a shipment Of
petroleum seized by the Mexi-
can government from a British
owned company in Mexico.
New Radio Regulation
Ices FUMBLING and fud-
Il ding will result in new leg
islation for radio regulation
next session. A more specific
and stiffer law will be proposed
by the Administration. No less
a legislator than Tommy-the
Corque Corcoran is seeing to it.
The White House Senator
without-a-seat has been moving,
under his usual cloak of inviSi-
bility, within the Communica-
tions Commission, preparing the
new bill. He is working with
Bill Dempsey, commission coun-
sci, who is generally known as
q McNinch man in recognition
of his former association with
the chairman in the Power
commission, but who is just as
much a Corcoran man.
New law will reorganize the
commission into three separate
branches, (a) mass communica-
tions, radio and television. (b)
rate communications, A. T. 81 !. :,
Western Union, Postal, and (c)
international com munications
via cable and radio. Detailed
regulatory duties will be as,
signed to each.
BroadcasterS will like it. they
think, because the present po
litical catch-as-catch-can Sys'
TEN (six months renewal Of IL
censes and censorship after
events) keeps them up in the
air. But, of course, no one has
seen the bill yet and no one
knows exactly how far it will
go.
Their Days Numbered
ALL Commissioners Except
"A two) probably will like it,
Thev expect to be reappointed
The two who won be, already
know their days are numbered
They also know a general house
cleaning will follow the new leg
islation, particularly in the over
manned legal division which is
made up of some of the best
friends the politicians here
| houa hut mt necessarily the