Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, The Lansing Papers, 1914–1920, Volume II

812.01/A

The Secretary of State to President Wilson

Washington, April 25, 1917 .

My Dear Mr. President: On May 1st General Carranza will be inaugurated as President of Mexico. The question arises whether Fletcher’s presence at the ceremony will be a recognition of the de jure character of the Government and an acceptance of the Constitution.

I am enclosing a memorandum on the subject which recites in a general way the salient features of the situation.⁴²

It would seem as if it were advisable as a matter of policy that Fletcher should attend the inaugural ceremonies for we ought to do everything possible to avoid any action which can be seized upon as a pretext by the Mexicans for complaint.

If Carranza adopts the method referred to in the enclosed telegram from Fletcher⁴⁶ a reply can be drafted making the proper reservations as to American vested rights affected by the new Constitution. I enclose a form of reservation which might be employed.

As to whether Fletcher’s presence would be a formal recognition of the de jure character of the Government, I think that the words “de facto” may be employed before and after the inauguration in such a way as to indicate that we consider the character of the Government has not changed by the ceremony of inauguration but only the title of the head of the Government who will be “the de facto President” instead of “The Chief of the Constitutionalist Army.”

Of course the advantage to be gained in preserving the de facto status is that the obligation to obey any mandate relating to neutrality issued by such a Government is far less than if it is de jure. Against an obligation of that sort we should endeavor to guard ourselves as far as possible. Furthermore it would be consistent with the reservation of rights improperly impaired by the new Constitution.

As the time is very short will you please give me your views on this important matter as soon as possible so that I may telegraph instructions to Fletcher?⁴⁷

Faithfully yours,

Robert Lansing

[Enclosure]

Form of Reservation

Recognition is extended to General Carranza as the de facto President of Mexico on the understanding and with the reservation that he is recognized without prejudice to the position heretofore taken by the Government of the United States in regard to the decrees of the provisional government and the provisions of the new constitution, if interpreted and applied so as to impair vested rights of foreign owners of properties in Mexico, as to which the Government of the United States reserves full liberty of action, because, as already stated by the Government of the United States, (see instructions to Ambassador Fletcher of January 22, 1917⁴⁸) it cannot acquiesce in the confiscation of or discrimination against the rights and interests of American citizens acquired either under the constitution of 1857 and the laws emanating therefrom or otherwise.

42. Memorandum not enclosed with file copy of this letter.
46. Not printed; reported General Carranza’s intention to announce his election and inauguration in a formal letter to the heads of nations (file No. 123 F 63/152).
47. For the instructions as sent, see infra.
48. For the purport of these instructions, see Foreign Relations, 1917, p. 947.