NEWS BY MAIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 January 1928, Page 1

NEWS BY MAIL.

NEW ERA IN MEXICO. NEW YORK, Nov. 20. The United States, whose official relations with Mexico have been dangerously strained because- of the grave difference of opinion on the subject ofoil, hails to-day as “the dawn of a new era” a decision of the Supreme Court of Mexico against its own Government. The decision is the first ray of light which lias appeared in the sinister situation which developed a year ago when Washington abruptly discontinued its diplomatic correspondence with (Mexico on the grounds that its

new petroleum laws were “confiscatory and unconstitutional.”

Yesterday's decision grants to the Mexican Petroleum Company, a Standard Oil subsidiary, an injunction restraining the .Mexican Government from cancelling, under t.’ie new law, the e.unpanv’s drilling permits. “UNCONST ITU.TIONAL.” It also declares two sections of the new law—-one sub -1:t atiiig 00-vcav confirmatory lonce-ssh-.is for oil-land titles acquired before the setting up of the 1917 < (institution, and another forfeiting titles to oil-lands- if application for confirmatory concessions ar not made within a year from the time the law became effective—-to bo unconstitutional so far as the Mexicali Petroleum Company’s holdings are concerned.

Before the sections in question can be finally declared unconstitutional, the Supreme Court must give lour more similar decisions. The necessary number of adjudications are already being applied for by other companies. Consequently, American hopes are high that sweeping decisions from the Mexican Supreme Court will quickly follow that of yesterday, thus re-estab-lishing amicable relations.

GUNMEN WHO RUN UNIONS. NEW YORK, Nov. 20. The acquittal at Chicago yesterday by an obviously intimidated jury, of “Lefty ” Lewis, a- well-known bandit who was ‘charged with murder, has eg lied attention to a new type ol Chicago criminal whose business it is to organise and exploit trade unions and business associations. The Public Prosecutor has coined a significant word to describe these criminals. He calls them “racketeers,” They have formed themselves into a syndicate whose activities are “ too strange for fiction.”

Lewis organised rag-aml-bone dealers into a. union after, so it was alleged, shooting at a public meeting one dealer who refused to support him and the salary he claimed. Witnesses against Lewis had their houses bombed, and the judge openly complained that the jurymen were being subjected to a reign of terror. According to the New York “Times,” quite a number of trade unions and business associations are now operated as private concerns by “certain colourful characters whose specialities range all the way to wholesale murder.” A syndicate of “ racketeers,” says the limes,” is now scientifically plundering at least a. score of unions, and i adds:

COMPULSION ON EMPLOYERS. “ All over the city there are business men who have been induced, at the point of the gun, to become members of some new co-operative or protective association and have been kept in line by bomb-throwers and window-smash-ers. All sorts of small business men have almost unanimously joined some association jn which they have no interest but fear.

“ They have paid without question whatever dues or fines were assessed and have attended meetings presided over by armed men whom they have never seen before.”

Recently the president of a local trade union informed a committee of employers with whom he was dealing that he wished to introduce his successor to them, ho himself having accepted a municipal appointment. The man thus introduced proved to he a notorious gunmen and beer-runner who had never worked a single day at the craft of which he is now a “ boss.” A TAX CHIEF’S SIDE LINE. PARTS, Nov. 21. The stringency with which the French income-tax authorities are pursuing their demands and the low rate of pay allocated to French Government officials, and to tax-collectors in particular, are responsible for an extraordinary situation in Parts. According to M. Gustave Tory, the editor of the “Oeuvre,” a. taxpayer in Pussy recently had a serious conflict with the local controller of income tax as to the amount lie,should pay. Official notices continued to assail the taxpayer, and a visit to the controller did not produce any satisfactory result.

substantial reductions. A friend recommended him to consult a “taxpayers’ agent” who had his office near one of the great railway termini and who had been successful in many similar cases in securing substantial reductions from the tax authorities. Th© taxpayer went to the .vklirss indicated and isked to see the “agent.” When he was v.slieicT into the inner office he was astonished to discover that his adviser was none other than the controller who had refused to listen to liis plea in Passy ! The explanation given is that the tax-gatherers and controllers are so badly paid by the State that they arc forced to spend their spare time in advising taxpayers how to evade the rules and regulations that they themselves are appointed to enforce.

false and true princes. BERLIN, Nov. 21. A real and a false prince came face, to face in a Berlin court to-day. A firm of publishers was claiming the right to publish a picture of Prince William of Prussia, the ex-Kaiser’s grandson, on the wrapper of the Berlin book in which Harry Domela describes his ludicrous adventures when he was taken for the Prince by the artistocratic society of Coburg. (Domela was sent to gaol for seven months for his impostures). Harry Domela sat on the bench for witnesses and Prince William was in the seats for the public. They glanced shyly at each other as if they were anxious to discover if they were, really alike. The publishers, who nleaded that Prince William was a figure of contemporary history because liis mother, the ex-Crown Princess, had brought him up as a Pretender to ;he throne, lost their case—and at the same time got a fine advertisement for the false prince’s book.