File No. 812.00/6224.
The American Ambassador to the Secretary of State.
Mexico, February 17, 1913—3 p.m.
My telegram of February 17, 1 a.m. I received this morning from Lascurain a note in which he states that he regrets very much that the incident referred to ever occurred; that I had stated to him on the 14th that I had no control over the marines and had not asked for their landing; that the Mexican Government were much worried by the reports of the imminence of the landing, and that this increased when the Diplomatic Corps suggested that the President resign; that the telegram to the Mexican Embassy1 was sent for the purpose of avoiding an international conflict and the disembarkation, which could be authorized only as result of my reports; and, finally, that the scope of the telegram depended upon future conditions which might cause European powers to ask the Government of the United States to protect their nationals.
In other words, the President of Mexico knew that this note was based on falsehood.
- See the Department’s telegram of February 15, midnight.↩