File No. 812.00/14746.
Special Agent Silliman to the Secretary of State.
Department’s March 29, 7 p.m. It is respectfully deemed inadvisable to present recommendation to neutralize Mexico City, for the following reasons.
First. The Zapatistas being in possession, the Constitutionalists, while not at present affected or concerned, would almost surely refuse to anticipate their future action.
Second. In view of all the circumstances it cannot but be considered a matter of the utmost importance to secure uninterrupted mail and railroad traffic with Mexico City. This might possibly be undertaken with greater hope of success than neutralization for the city, which has been heretofore proposed at different times but each time given up as impracticable.
Third. Should the Department think otherwise, it is nevertheless respectfully suggested that it might be unwise to affirmatively state that neutralized travel by railroad is less important than neutralizing the city inasmuch as the Constitutionalists are at present powerless to help in the one instance but could contribute to the other because they control the greater part of the railroad.
[Page 685]Fourth. The instruction as now worded, minimizes the great importance of uninterrupted railroad communication and will therefore seriously affect the weight of the representations already in progress here through the British Consul at the instance of the British Ambassador at Washington as to returning the railroad property to its British owners.
Have consulted Mr. Richards in the preparation of this cablegram. Department’s further instruction awaited.