Evening star., 1938-11-13
Mexico Disturbs
Plans for United
American Defense
Necessity to Sell Oil
Forcing Her Into
Foscism's Arms
BY CARLOS J. VIDELA.

Lima, Peru, December 8, proceed
apace in the 81 national capitals of
the Western Hemisphere, the prob
lem OF military defense of North
and South America against over
seas aggression takes definite shape.
In the recent speeches of Presi-
dent Roosevelt and Undersecretary
of State Sumner Welles regarding
the defense of the Americas, the
point was clearly established that
the United States considers the Sc
curity of Latin America essential
for its own security. Mr.. Roosevelt
has. by implication, thrown an
American naval Gordon around
South America. Mr.. Welles ex-
pressed the bi-continental defense
policy of the United States in more
direct words, basing it on cooper
alton among all the republic of this
hemisphere
A disturbing factor In this stu
alton is the economic attachment
Of Mexico to the group of totali-
tartan countries made up of Italy,
Germany and Japan, which is pre-
cisely the enemy supposed to be
borne in mind when drafting plans
for the defense of the Americas.
Mexico, country under strong
ly Leftist government, has been
thrown into the arms of the totali-
tartan group by the after effects OF
the appropriation of foreign oil
fields. Barred from most European
and American markets by boy
colt, open or covert, organized by
the appropriated interests, Mexico,
facing financial ruin, has had to
swallow her words of condemnation
of the relationships and do business
with them.
Much Oil Goes to Reich.
A very large share of Mexico's oil
exports finds its way to Germany,
with which the Cardenas govern
ment has entered into a barter
arrangement. Italy made contract
with Mexico at the end of last month
calling for the sale of IS 900 900
worth of oil to the italian govern
ment-controlled firm, Azienda Gen
erale Italiana PETROL, of Rome.
Italy is understood to be paying cash
for this oil. the Mexicans having re-
fused to barter. Sales of oil to Japan
have been unimportant to date,
chiefly because lack of transporta-
ton facilities to the west coast of
Mexico compels Japanese tankers to
load at Gulf ports, having to use the
costly route across the Panama
Canal.
September sales of Mexican oil.
reported to have exceeded 100000
barrels, included 100000 barrels of
gasoline and $4,000 barrels of gas
oil for Germany. The gas oil is un-
derstood to be for the German Navy
and to have been paid for in cash.
Naturally, the barter agreement
with Germany has resulted in dis
placing to large extent American
machinery and other articles that
Mexico formerly imported At the
same time, large sums of money have
been spent by German firms for
newspaper advertising in Mexico. 1t
Is significant that these advertise
ments have appeared, in a number
OF cases, in issues devoting much
space to singing the praises of Ger
man National Socialism.
1taly'S sales of armament to sew
eral Latin American nations amount
already to substantial sums. The
latest deal reported is for the sale
of $1500,000 worth of war material
to the tiny Central American re-
public of Ell Salvador. The order in
cludes s16O,0O0 worth of airplanes,
balloons, four batteries of artillery
and tanks. Italian branch factories
IN Peru are turning out military and
civil airplanes, and it is reported
that Italian shipyard agents are ac-
lively canvassing the South Amer
lean market for orders for warships.
A good many of South Americas
naval vessels are of Italian origin.
Mexican Attitude Factor.
While all this will have direct
bearing on discussions of Pan-Amer-
lean policy at the forthcoming con-
ference, another factor is the atti-
tude of Mexico in regard to foreign
property and nationals. Mexico's
delegation at Lima, headed by the
Ambassador at Washington, Fran
cisco Castillo Najera, will endeavor
to push two points: The compulsory
naturalization of resident aliens
end the general adoption of the
Calvo doctrine.
The first of these measures would
tend to preclude any protests from
other nations in regard to Mexican
treatment of their nationals, since
these would become Mexican sub
iects. The second point would put
an effective barrier to foreign inter-
vention in defense of property held
in Mexico. Carlos Calvo, foreign
minister of Argentina at the end of
the last century ar1d one of Latin
Americas S outstanding authorities on
international law, propounded the
principle, incorporated in his doc
trine, that says, The collection of
pecuniary claims made by the citi-
zens of one country against the gov
ernment of another country should
never be made by force"
There is very little likelihood that
the first of these points will find
support among the Latin American
delegations to the Lima Conference,
although the second point may have
easy sailing. In both of them may
be seen an obvious anti-foreign
motive.
At this stage of the problem
Of the integral defense of the Amer
icas against overseas aggression,
these factors, taken together, mean
that serious kinks will have to be
ironed out of the inside OF the
Latin American structure before
final consideration can be given to
united defense against potential
aggressors
Copyright, 1898. by the North American
Newspaper Alliance Inc)
Chicago Produce