The poorness of the Mexican President's case against the, American and British cil interests in Mexico, which he has decided to expropriate, is evidenced in the details of the charge which' he made last week to the effect that they had been actively engaged in assisting rebels against the government. He states that nobody doubted that rebel elements in te oil fields were supported by foreign oil companies between 1917 and 1920 against the constituted government. If General Cardenas has no more recent charge against the oil concerns than something which on his own admission took place eighteen years ago, there is not much strength in the case which he seeks to establish justifying his intentions. The facts of the matter are that, in the districts where the oil companies operate, good order and prosperity generaly prevail, while in other sections of the country there is nothing but poverty and disorder. It is apparent from recent reports to hand that the Mexican government is on the verge of bankruptcy, and what is really behind this contemplated seizure of the oil interests is merely a desire to fill the coffers of the state which have been depleted. If America and Great Britain do decide to take parallel action it is possible that sufficient pressure will be brought to bear upon General Cardenas to force him to mend his ways. At the moment the President not unlike certain other men in similar positions seems bent on trying the patience of democratic nations in an endeavour io see just how far it is possible to go. The taking of effective action in Mexico by the United States, for the Munroe Doctrine precludes anything.very serious being done by Britain, may not only have the effect of reforming General Cardenas' political outlook, but may also give certain other quarters the benefit of a demonstration that even now there still remain limits beyond which it would be rash to endeavour to go.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.