File No. 312.52/55.
The Secretary of State to George C. Carothers. 1
Washington , December 13, 1913 .
The Department is advised that Villa has ordered the approximately 400 Spanish inhabitants of the State of Chihuahua to abandon their property and leave the State within ten days on penalty of being shot if found there after that time. The Consul at Chihuahua, Letcher, has been instructed to see Villa and “to represent to him courteously but in the most impressive manner the hardships involved in the enforcement of such an order against large numbers of persons who must in the main be innocent of any complicity in the pending contest in Mexico, as well as the horror that would be felt throughout the civilized world by the infliction of such a penalty for failure to comply with the order.” You will proceed immediately towards Chihuahua and if you should see Villa on the way renew and reinforce Letcher’s representations. Should you first reach Chihuahua, confer with Letcher and give him your aid and support in carrying out his instructions.
- Consular Agent at Torreon; at Texas City, Texas, at this date, acting as Special Agent of the Department of State.↩