File No. 812.00/17455
The Acting Secretary of State to all American Consular Officers in Mexico 18
Washington, March 14, 1916, 8 p.m.
Department’s March 10, 6 p.m. This Government’s expedition will shortly enter Mexico with sole object of pursuing and capturing Villa and his band for the outrage committed at Columbus, New Mexico, on March 9, when at least 16 Americans were killed, principal buildings burned, et cetera. Upon the determination of this Government to send a punitive expedition into Mexico becoming known, the de facto Government proposed that reciprocal privileges be granted should armed bands from the American side raid Mexican territory. Department’s representative near General Carranza last night delivered a note to the Mexican Foreign Secretary, in response to the proposal of the de facto Government, granting permission for Mexican soldiers to cross international boundary in pursuit of lawless bands who may enter Mexico from the United States, commit outrages in Mexican territory, and thereafter return to the United States. After presentation note, Foreign Secretary informally stated he was pleased with same, and predicted that it would relieve delicate situation developed by Columbus affair.
- The same to Mr. Parker, representing American interests in Mexico; the same, for their information, to all American missions in Central and South America and in Europe, Japan and China.↩