MEXICO'S TROUBLES

Southland Times, Issue 18819, 12 May 1920, Page 6

MEXICO'S TROUBLES

A BRITISHER’S IMPRESSIONS. THE U.S.A. AT FAULT. There is at present in Invercargill a British citizen connected with a largo Aemrican business house. His activities have given him a very good opportunity to study the Mexican situation at first hand, and he was in that troubled country last July and August. This gentleman is very much in terested in the position, and the result of his study of the question has led him to decisions not complimentary to the United States. For this reason he would not allow his identity to be disclosed, seeing that his business interests lie in the land of Uncle Sam. “My firm conviction is that the Mexicans are to be pitied rather than blamed for the state of turmoil into which their country has been thrown,” he declared. He went on to say that there was undoubted cause for bitterness amongst the Mexicans towards America. This bitterness had its root in the love of oil, the possession of which was the cause of most of Mexico’s troubles. The feeling of animosity was deepened by the invasion of expeditions over the Mexican borders led by American officers. The presence of American aviators over the border had also had a bad effect. Of course, for these steps the Americans held themselves justified by contending that the Mexican Government was not able to keep the bandits sufficiently in check to prevent outrages against American citizens. To this argument the Mexicans replied that not only American, but Mexican, citizens were outraged, and held that a number of bandits were being subsidised by American oil interests. In one or two instances that had come under the informant’s notice, there was little doubt, he said, that this was done. Carranza very naturally objected to this. Certain oil concessions round Tampico had been granted to English firms, and to this, when they could not get them themselves, the Americans strenuously objected. Carranza’s stated reason for this attitude was that the English companies paid their taxes and recognised the Federal laws, which many of the Americans were unwilling to do. The presence of an American naval station at Guatnnamo (Cuba) also rankled in the Mexicans’ minds. It was contended in Mexico that the United States had fomented the rebellion in Panama, and there were several other charges against the country that might be looked on as being based on fair grounds. Again, there was a great outery when an American citizen was outraged, but nothing was said when, as often happened, a Mexican was outraged by American citizens. Referring to the celebrated Jenkins incident, the visitor said that a lot had been made of Mexico’s lack of protection to this “consul.” As a matter of fact, Jenkins was only a consular agent, and was not any more entitled to protection than an ordinary citizen. The Hearst newspapers, in the opinion of this gentleman, are greatly responsible for the trouble, and he asserts that Hearst owns large properties in North Mexico which he wants to come tinder American sway so that he may exert his great influence to his own ends. The visitor expressed admiration for “that old man, Carranza” This general, he declared, had intended to pass the rest of his days on his estate at Chihuahua, but now, following on the recent death of his wife, which he felt severely, had come the new demand for action. Carranza, he mentioned, is a very rich man. It is not thought that the present trouble will do anything but “fizzle out.”