File No. 812.00/234.45.
The Special Commissioners to the Secretary of State.
At the meeting this morning, the Mediators submitted as a basis of discussion, the following proposition:
In order to conform as far as possible to the existing Constitution, General Huerta should appoint a person as Minister for Foreign Relations, submit his resignation to the Congress and turn over the reins of government to the Minister for Foreign Relations, who would appoint a Cabinet of four to constitute Board of Provisional Government.
This Board to be composed of one Huertista, one Constitutionalist, two neutrals.
From the neutrals the Provisional Government was to be chosen.
A general absolute amnesty to be declared.
The Board promptly to call an election for President and Congress, in accordance with the existing Constitution; the election to be held under the Act of May 1912, which they are informed was adopted at the instance of the Maderista [administration] and [charges] the head of the government with the selection of electors and provides for direct vote for President.
Board to be requested to devote special attention to the agrarian question, electoral legislation, compulsory primary and agricultural education, organization of schools and experimental institutions, and would be also requested to institute steps for the creation of international commission looking to the settlement of claims of foreigners for damages due to military acts or the acts of nation authorities, and settlement of the claims of Mexicans.
United States to agree not to present claims for war indemnity.
Provisional government to be recognized by the United States and A. B. C. countries.
American forces to withdraw within fifteen days after the Board gives notice of its organization, the evacuation to be completed within thirty days unless the provisional government consents to an extension.
Discussion principally devoted to the first two propositions, they urging that the provisional government remain composed of all elements, and we insisting that the value of that fair proposition [Page 509] depended upon whether it would be acceptable to the Constitutionalists, who must now be recognized as the victorious force. They evidently objected to a transfer to a person recognized as the representative of Carranza, one of them stating that while it was not inconsistent with mediation to adopt a plan based on the recognition of all the contending revolutionary forces, yet to consent to a transfer to a representative of Carranza might appear to be an encouragement to revolution and he himself might feel bound to inquire of his own government whether he could consent to such a plan. In any event he stated that it would require serious consideration as to whether the transfer to Carrancista was within the spirit of the original proposal by them and accepted by Huerta and the United States.
In the informal discussion we urged that the urgent demands of the situation to prevent bloodshed as well as the permanent peace of Mexico might be better served by transferring the government to a provisional president instead of a board with divided responsibility and weaker executive action. They urged that this provisional government was only to be in power for a short time and was appointed more in the nature of satisfying all parties than with a view of anything it could do in the short period of its existence. In answer to which we urged that under the most favorable conditions the situation required a man of great ability to maintain order and deal with the problems incident to the transfer of authority, to say nothing of the difficulties incident to the disbandment of troops and return to their vocations. There was a lengthy exchange of views, but on these points we made little progress, the discussion in every instance returning to the matter of names, as to which they made no suggestions beyond those previously mentioned.
We adjourned to continue the discussion tomorrow.
We think it possible differences as to Mediators’ first and second propositions may be adjusted by agreement as to the personnel of provisional government without attempt to classify according to parties. The same man or men might be acceptable to all elements.