File No. 711.1216M/246.
The American Chargé d’Affaires to the Secretary of State.
Mexico, March 4, 1911.
I was unable immediately upon receipt of Department’s telegram of the 2d instant to see the minister for foreign affairs, but presented the entire matter to him on the morning of the 4th. He informed me that the vessels El Democrata and General Guerrero, with 4 machine guns and 500 men, were already on the way to the Colorado River works via Todos Santos [Ensenada], where they will be landed, and it is expected that they will reach the works within 10 days. During the time the troops are at the works one vessel will remain at Ensenada. I suggested that 10 days would be a serious delay considering the importance and extent of the works, and expressed doubt as to the ability of 500 men to control the situation. I also stated that it was my opinion that the emergency was sufficiently great to warrant President Diaz in taking the action suggested by the Department, notwithstanding the constitutional objections which the minister for foreign affairs again raised. With respect to these constitutional objections Mr. Creel stated that I might inform the Department that he was sure that if uniformed American soldiers were permitted to enter Mexican territory the entire country would rise in protest against President Diaz. The minister for foreign affairs has just informed [Page 562] me that he had a consultation with President Diaz, and that the latter fully agrees with him that to permit American troops to enter Mexican territory would be construed by the Mexican people, as well as foreign nations, as an admission of weakness, and would greatly strengthen the revolution. According to Mr. Creel’s advice there are no more than 150 rebels operating in that region and he thinks that 500 troops will be sufficient to cope with them. I reminded him that what was needed was an overwhelming force.
The minister for foreign affairs said that President Diaz had instructed him to state that he appreciates the attitude of President Taft in regard to this matter and is grateful for the suggestions offered. He can not, however, act without the sanction of the Mexican senate, and he is opposed, in view of the revolutionary situation and for other grave reasons, to the calling of an extra session of Congress at this time. The President suggests that considerable time could be saved if the 500 men now on the way were allowed to proceed via San Diego, Cal. I told the minister for foreign affairs that such an arrangement would be severely criticized as being a breach of neutrality, to which he replied that no accepted rule of international law would be violated because the revolutionists had not been recognized as belligerents. I then told him that I would transmit President Diaz suggestion to the Department, intimating to him, however, that I did not believe that unqualified approval would be given to any of the foregoing. The President and the minister for foreign affairs evidently regard this matter as of the utmost importance and are disinclined to act upon Department’s suggestion.