File No. 812.00/665.
The Acting Secretary of State to the Mexican Chargé d’Affaires.
Washington, February 11, 1911.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Señor de la Barra’s note No. 694, of the 23d ultimo, in which, acknowledging the receipt of the Department’s note No. 390, of the 19th ultimo, his excellency expresses assurance that the proper authorities of the United States will make all the investigations necessary to show the culpability of persons alleged to be violating the neutrality laws of the United States in furthering the insurrectionary movement against the Government of Mexico; and presents considerations which he believes would elicit legal evidence to establish the guilt of the parties complained of.
The Department begs to assure the Mexican Embassy that the Government of the United States entertains every disposition to secure the strict enforcement of the rules of international law governing neutrality, as well as to obtain a proper observance and enforcement of the so-called neutrality statutes of the Federal Government, and to this end the Federal Executive has directed the appropriate officers to use due diligence to see that such rules and laws are observed. I must however again suggest for your consideration that inasmuch as commercial trading in arms and ammunition is forbidden neither by the rules of international law nor by the so-called neutrality statutes of the Federal Government, it is not possible for the Federal Executive to prohibit such transactions.
In this connection I ought to observe that almost all of the information which has been heretofore communicated to the Federal officers regarding alleged violations of the international rules of neutrality, as well as of the neutrality of the United States, has upon careful and minute examination proved to have been based upon groundless rumors. The officers of the United States have however been instructed to exercise a most vigilant care, in order that no violations of such rules and laws may be permitted.
Accept [etc.],