Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Address of the President to Congress December 7, 1915

File No. 812.00/16755.

The Secretary of State to Special Agent Belt.

[Telegram.]

Department of State,
Washington, November 11, 1915.

Your November 9. This Department has no record, of any arrangements having been agreed upon between this Government and the de facto Government of Mexico whereby American forces could pursue bandits into Mexican territory and Mexican forces could enter American territory for the same purpose during present border troubles.⁶³ If General Carranza is proceeding on this basis, discreetly call above to his attention.

Lansing.

63. Although without bearing on the point here at issue, it may be noted that the same general subject appears in the “Protocol of an Agreement concerning pursuit of Indians across the border,” signed July 29, 1882, which expired August 18, 1883. It provided for “the reciprocal crossing of the international boundary line by the troops of the respective Governments in pursuit of savage Indians” under specified conditions.