U. S. OIL FIELDS RICH GRAPES FOR MEXICAN FOXES
Gulf Coast Aflame as All Factions Race to Goal.
BY NORMAN WALKER.
El Paso, Tex., April 25. - Old man Mars shifted his activities from the west to the east coast of Mexico today. Tampico reports to Juarez via Chihuahua City and Torreon, gave meager details of fighting on the coastal plain where the great oil fields are located. If the rebels win control of the Tampico-Tuxpam district, it will be a body blow for the Carranza government, which depends on the oil export tax for a large part of its revenue.
Gen. Francisco Murguia is the east coast federal commander, and the revolutionary commander who takes that rich Tampico plum will have a man sized job. Murguia defeated Villa at Jimenez in 1917, and is known throughout Mexico as "El Gallito" -- the little fighting rooster.
Fat Pickin's -- To Stay Loyal
He was in supreme command of the northwestern division, until removed by Carranza and later transferred to the Tampico district of Tamaulipas. This fat berth in the oil fields was then supposed to be a sop to keep Murguia friendly to the federal powers, since Murguia wavered in his loyalty after his removal from the northern command.
He hates Obregon, however, and probably will be loyal to Carranza as long as the Tampico oil taxes are available for his armies.
Opposing him is Arnulfo Gomez, one of his old federal generals in the north, with little or no military prestige in northern Mexico.
Over at Agua Prieta, Sonora, the liberal constitutionalist party is busy mailing out thousands of copies of the "plan de Agua Prieta," issued by Adolfo De La Huerta, rebel commander in that and neighboring states.
Putting It Up to Carranza.
Stripped of its larding of words and fervent phrases, the plan tells Carranza and his crew that, if they do not get out "we, the people," will come to Mexico City and throw them out.
De La Huerta is a rabid Obregon partisan and fought for the Obregon party as a member of the house of deputies last fall. He has socialistic leanings, and a fine tenor voice.
Villa is believed to be sitting tight in some Chihuahua rendezvous, awaiting developments. His forces are comparatively small and the prestige of his name in the north would be about all he could lend to the rebellion at the present time.
Unless Washington takes an active hand, Carranza will have the fight of his life during the next month, and May, 1920, may see the overthrow of the Carranza government, as May, 1911, did the downfall of the graft-ridden Diaz government.