File No. 312.52/277.
The Secretary of State to Special Agent Carothers.
Washington, May 20, 1914.
On behalf of Spanish cotton growers in Torreon district, from whom Constitutionalists have seized large amount of cotton, Spanish Ambassador requests aid of Department in arranging with Carranza for restoration of seized property to owners upon payment by them by way of contribution of fifteen pesos per bale of cotton.
Bring matter to attention of Carranza and say that the Department considers that it would be more advantageous in the long run to the Constitutionalist authorities to enter into such arrangement than to continue to withhold from these Spanish subjects the property in question, which latter course of action would tend to place the Constitutionalist authorities in a bad light before the governments of the world as oppressors of foreigners residing or having interests within their jurisdiction. Urge acceptance of this arrangement.