File No. 812.00/18490
Mr. Arredondo to the
Acting Secretary of State
Washington,
March 18, 1916.
My dear Mr. Polk: I beg leave to transmit to
you, herewith, copy in translation of the substance of the message from
the Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Mexico, which I read to you this
afternoon.
With the assurances [etc.]
[Page 494]
[Inclosure]
[Untitled]
The office of the First Chief has received reliable information, that
without the knowledge of, or any advice to, the nearest civil or
military authorities, and without any communication from the
Government of the United States to this Government, an expedition
described as punitive, for the purpose of pursuing Villa and his
band, has entered Mexican territory, via Palomas. Complying with
superior orders, you are directed to bring the above facts to the
attention of the American Government and to say to the Secretary of
State, that this Government, standing on its part by the
propositions contained in its note of the 10th instant, is of the
opinion that the terms and conditions of the agreement which should
be formally entered into between both countries, have not been fixed
regarding the crossing of troops, in order that one Government and
the other should feel authorized to send any expedition. The consent
expressed by this Government in regard to the crossing of armed
troops over the frontier lines, is being erroneously understood by
taking it for granted that the crossing of a military expedition in
pursuit of Villa has been permitted, and, furthermore, by the intent
to have troops moved over the line of the Northwestern Railway of
Mexico, which runs between Ciudad Juarez and the southern part of
the State of Chihuahua, inasmuch as the above-mentioned note states
with perfect clearness that this Government is disposed to act
within the terms of strict reciprocity, if, unfortunately, from now
on, any incursions similar to the one at Columbus or of any other
character at any other point of the line should occur; therefore,
the above-mentioned note should not and must not be understood as
tolerating or permitting any expeditions into the national
territory. Please also make it clear to the Secretary of State that
the Mexican Government cannot authorize right off the crossing into
our territory of expeditions of American troops before the terms of
the above mutual agreement are definitely and concisely fixed, and
you may assure the Secretary that this Government is studying with
the urgency the case demands the propositions of the agreement to be
submitted in due form and as early as possible, so that it may
determine for once and all time the matter in question.
