Huerta Promises Action to Assure Oil for U.S. Ships Phelan Quotes the Mexican President as Saying Con? stitution Will Be Modi? fied if Legislation Fails fprclal Cable to TV? iXfrms* Copyright, 1820. New York Tribune Inc. MEXICO CITY, Sept. 18.->Joseph A. Phelan, oil examiner for the United States Shipping Board, who conferred j-estarday with Provisional President de 1& HuerU, found that the President recognized the necessity of the board securing for itself a supply of fuel for tha future and that he was willing to cooperate, not only with the board, bat also with the producers' selling organization? in order to achieve the desired results. Phelan came to Mexico primarily to investigate the supply of oil in this country with a view to providing for the Shipping Board's need at reason? able rates, but incidentally he dis? cussed the diplomatic features of the question with the Mexican President. Phelan to-day quoted President de la Huerta as saying that he was pre? pared to reach an amicable solution of the oil controversy even if interpretive legislation proved unsuccessful and it was necessary to modify Article 27 of the Constitution. Phelan said the President expressed willingness to confer with a represen? tative of the American oil interests in this city if they should request such a conference. De la Huerta told Phelan that Mexico intended to insist upon her right to grant concession* in the Fed-. eral son?, as this was national property. The President told Phelan that Mex? ico had wonderful oil possibilities and that in developing them the Mexican government was willing to cooperate ''with the American government and its citizens." Phelan said that if the Mexican gov? ernment carried out its program, as outlined to him by de la Huerta, an agreement could be reached with Ame?? lean producers that would be satis factor to both sides. Phelan estimated that Mexico could produce 147,000,000 barrels of oil this year. About half. o? this the United States government would consume. Phelan recalled that the Uunited States last year consumed half of Mexico's oil production and transported more than half of the oil shipped out of Mexico. franWn Simon &