File No. 412.11/85.
The Secretary of State to the American Consul at Ciudad Juárez.
Washington, April 23, 1912.
Sir: The Department has received your despatch No. 132 of the 8th instant in regard to the adjustment of the claims of Americans against the Mexican Government by the Mexican Consul at El Paso, Texas, and the fact that you have been informed unofficially that it is agreed among several, if not a majority, of the attorneys representing the claimants that they will not submit the cases to the Mexican Consul for adjustment but wait for the commission provided for in the Joint Resolution presented by Representative Smith of Texas.
The Department has informed Representatives William Sulzer, W. R. Smith, J. N. Garner and W. G. Sharp that it considers that this reported course on the part of such attorneys would be most unfortunate if carried into effect, since in view of the apparently genuine desire of the Mexican Government to endeavor to effect an early settlement of these claims, it would seem that the American claimants should in the first instance submit their claims for consideration to the representatives sent by the Mexican Government for this purpose. Their failure to take advantage of this opportunity can scarcely result in anything other than prejudice to the claimants in the eyes of the Mexican Government. Moreover, such failure to act would, in the opinion of this Department, be entirely unwarranted and would lay this Government open to the Chargé of not proceeding in this transaction with entire good faith.
I am [etc.]