File No. 812.113/2135.
The Acting Secretary to the Mexican Chargé d’Affaires.
Washington , April 30, 1913.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 8th of April, in which you request that this Government make known to the appropriate Mexican authorities all future exportations of explosives to Mexico, in order that the Mexican War Department may state whether or not there is objection to such exportations.
In reply I beg to inform you that this Government regrets that it is not practicable to accede to your request. The enforcement of the provisions of the joint resolution of Congress of March 14, 1912, made applicable to Mexico by the President’s proclamation of the same date, is, from the point of view of this Government, a domestic matter, and this Government cannot, therefore, make its action in any way contingent upon the opinion of the Mexican Department of War as to whether or not a certain exception to the President’s proclamation should be made.
[Page 879]I beg to say in conclusion, and with particular regard to the exportation to Mexico of explosives, that this Government is scrupulously careful to examine the circumstances of each shipment thereof for which an exception is asked, and that no exception is granted when there appears to be any probability of its being used in any way to promote domestic disorder in Mexico.
Accept [etc.]