Show MEXICO TO SIGN SION OIL SALES PACT MEXICO CIT CITY April 19 UP A- A Mexico whose oil exports in the first month of government control of the industry were about barrels as against barrels a year ago is ready to conclude the first Imp important sale saTe to foreign buyers R Reliable liable sources said today a contract contract contract con con- tract had bee been prepared for barrels of ot oil to cost and that it Would be taken up by Francis Francis Francis Fran Fran- cis M. M Rickett British promoter and Bernard E. E Smith New York broker Officials of two of the companies which President Cardenas put under under under un un- un- un der government management by expropriation expropriation ex ex- ex- ex on March 18 said they understood letters of credit already had been arranged The chief problem to be solved it was thought here was whether tankers could be obtained to effect shipment Because of ot lack of ot foreign markets markets markets mar mar- since expropriation was effect ed ad oil production has been curtailed sharply All storage tanks are filled Workers Fear for Jobs The barrels exported in inthe inthe inthe the last four weeks came caine from wells the government already owned and andon andon andon on existing contracts The acute situation n was of ot in increasing increasing increasing in- in creasing concern to the em em- of the expropriated companies companies com corn many of whom feared consolidation consolidation con con- of government operations would cost jobs The present approximate payroll of ot weekly has been met There were reliable estimates however how how- ev ever r that extra who had worked with fair regularity had been unemployed the last two weeks Three thousand of these are in Tampico It was reported the government was planning to give farm lands to some of them to aid th their ir support While the regular payroll apparently apparently apparently was being met workers were not however receiving benefits II awarded under the government arbitration arbitration arbitration ar ar- ar- ar verdict of last December promising benefits of about 6 6 to annually Benefits Unpaid The foreign oil producers contended contended contended con con- tended they could not comply with this and stay in business and their stand inspired Cardenas' Cardenas tion The workers also appeared not notto notto notto to be receiving the double and triple pay for overtime which under previous contracts the foreign operators operators operators oper oper- were required to pay Available figures indicated the government now is producing only sufficient oil to meet domestic needs a survey showing a a. little mUe Under tinder barrels daily just short of the average domestic consumption consumption tion of barrels daily for 1937 Figures for the four production areas The Poza Rica zone richest In Mexico o barrels against average 1937 1937 Panuco and Golden Lane z zones nes near Tampico Tampico Tam Tarn pico each against and for 1937 Isthmus fields Vera VeraCruz VeraCruz VeraCruz Cruz against average Refineries have curtailed curtailed curtailed cur cur- tailed activity |