OIL EXPROPRIATION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 April 1938, Page 7

OIL EXPROPRIATION

BRITISH NOTE TO MEXICO

POLITICAL REASONS UNDER VEIL OF LEGALITY. A REQUEST DISREGARDED. By Telegraph.—Press Association, Copyright. MEXICO CITY, April 12. Without specific British approval. Mexico has made public the text of the British Note sent on April 9, in which Mexico is accused of expropriating the oil properties because of political reasons under the veil of legality, by basing them on labour issues.

Britain requested that eventually the Note and the Mexican reply should be made public simultaneously, but Mexico apparently wanted the last word, at least momentarily, by publishing the reply by itself, which will probably be done on Tuesday.

DETAILS OF NOTE PUBLICATION IN LONDON DEMAND OF JUSTICE ALLEGED (Recd This Day, 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, April 12. The British note of April 8 to Mexico has been released. It demands the return of the expropriated oilfields. Britain does not question Mexico’s general right to expropriate in the public interest on payment of adequate compensation, but contends that this principle does not justify essentially arbitrary expropriation. The Note asserts that the Labour Board imposed an unjustified award. His Majesty’s Government is satisfied that non-com-pliance with the award does not warrant such a drastic and far-reaching measure, and has found difficulty in escaping the conclusions that the real motive was a political desire to acquire Mexican ownership and control and that the expropriation was tantamount to confiscation under the veil of legality on labour issues, and also that the consequences have been a denial of justice and transgression of international law.