File No. 711.1216M/243A.
The Secretary of State to the American Chargé d’Affaires.
Washington, March 2, 1911.
Almost daily the Colorado River work suffers from the depredations of insurrectos who in irregular bands appropriate animals, commandeer supplies, and enter workmen’s quarters. Menaced by threats and a display of firearms, a large percentage of the workmen have abandoned their work, and because of the lack of protection the contractors complain bitterly.
To recruit a civilian guard has been found quite impossible, and the Government of the United States finds it inexpedient to dispatch regular troops, dressed as civilians, to be placed on the pay rolls of the corporation, but to serve as guards. Hence to secure protection for the works in the manner agreed upon with the President of Mexico is impracticable. The Mexican Government is evidently unprepared to send to the vicinity of the works an overwhelming force, and if any less force were sent the insurrectos would merely be instigated to destroy the works.
The President feels that under these circumstances the President of Mexico will appreciate that the emergency has now arrived making indispensable to the sure protection of the works the sending of a body of American troops to guard the works; also that, sensible of its great responsibility and recognizing the two Governments’ equal interest in absolutely preventing the vast material loss and catastrophe from any serious injury to the levee and the great loss attending interference, the Mexican Government will doubtless act with the utmost promptness. In thus making representations to the Government of Mexico you should suggest, in order to preclude any absurd distortion of the actual facts, that the Mexican Government should officially request this Government to protect, temporarily, with military forces the levee referred to, basing such request on the ground that the levee is being built in a desolate and remote territory where there is no general reason for maintaining a force sufficient for this purpose, nor adequate facilities for such a force, and that the only adequate means of approaching the levee is by crossing the territory of the United States.