File No. 812.00/14202.
[Untitled]
Mexico City,
January 14, 1915—4 p.m.
In the Convention yesterday afternoon the following measure for a plan of government during the preconstitutional period was submitted by Zapatista delegates. The measure was discussed until 11 p.m. The discussion will be continued today:
- Article I. The Provisional President of the Republic, who will be named by virtue of the ratification or rectification of the nomination made in favor of General Eulalio Gutierrez, will remain in occupation of his position until December 31, 1915, and will deliver the executive power on the day following this date to the Constitutional President chosen at elections called by the Convention at a date to be appointed.
- Article II. In the event of the temporary or permanent absence of the Provisional President, he will be substituted by the Minister for Foreign Affairs or the Minister next following in the order provided in the protocol, to hold office until the Convention designates a new President.
- Article III. The Convention, constituted as a grand jury and with the vote of two-thirds of the members present, may cause the removal of the Provisional President of the Republic from his office for any one of the following reasons: (1) If the functionary referred to violates or fails to comply with the resolutions of the Convention including the principles of the Plan of Ayala which principles were accepted by the Convention in Aguascalientes. (2) If the Provisional President commits any action against the sovereignty or integrity of the Convention. (3) If he separates himself from the official presidency of the Convention without the permission of that body or of the Permanent Committee as the case may be. (4) If he concludes any important political matters without having obtained the previous consent of his Cabinet.
- Article IV. Ministers will be responsible to the Convention for all actions in the exercise of their respective official functions.
- Article V. When any individual Minister is not in accordance with the President, the President will submit the question in dispute between himself and his Minister to the Cabinet, the resolution arrived at by that body to be final.
- Article VI. The Cabinet will be named by the Convention, the President proposing names in groups of three for each Cabinet office.
- Article VII. The President of the Republic will not have the right to dismiss any one of his Ministers without having previously obtained the sanction of the Convention.
- Article VIII. The Convention reserves the right to depose any one Minister or the whole Cabinet by a simple resolution of the majority of the votes of that body.
- Article IX. The President of the Republic will propose to the Convention within eight days following the vacancy of any post in his Cabinet the three names to be submitted from which such vacancy is to be filled.
Provisional Article. The Executive will submit to the Convention the ratification of the actual members of his Cabinet and in case any members be not acceptable he will proceed in the manner stipulated in Article Four.
Silliman.