File No. 812.00/19039
The Acting Secretary of State to Mr. Arredondo
Washington, July 28, 1916.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of July 12 last, in which you transcribe a note addressed to me by the Secretary of Foreign Relations of your Government, and to request that you will be good enough to transmit to him the following reply:
Mr. Secretary: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your excellency’s note transmitted under date of July 12 by Lie. Eliseo Arredondo, your Government’s confidential agent in Washington, informing me that your excellency has received instructions from the Citizen First Chief of the Constitutionalist Army charged with the Executive Power of the Union to propose that each of our Governments name three commissioners, who shall hold conferences at some place to be mutually agreed upon and decide forthwith the question relating to the evacuation of the American forces now in Mexico, and to draw up and conclude a protocol or agreement regarding the reciprocal crossing of the frontier by the forces of both countries, also to determine the origin of the incursions to date, in order to fix the responsibility therefor and definitely to settle the difficulties now pending or those which may arise between the two countries on account of the same or a similar reason; all of which shall be subject to the approval of both Governments.
In reply I have the honor to state that I have laid your excellency’s note before the President, and have received his instructions to inform your excellency that the Government of the United States is disposed to accept the proposal of the Mexican Government in the same spirit of frank cordiality in which it is made. This Government believes, and suggests, however, that the powers of the proposed Commission should be enlarged so that, if happily a solution satisfactory to both Governments of the questions set forth in your excellency’s communication may be reached, the Commission may also consider such other matters the friendly arrangement of which would tend to improve the relations of the two countries; it being understood that such recommendations as the Commission may make shall not be binding upon the respective Governments until formally accepted by them.
Should this proposal be accepted by your excellency’s Government, I have the honor to state that this Government will proceed immediately to appoint its commissioners, and fix, after consultation with your excellency’s Government, the time and place and other details of the proposed conferences.
Accept, Mr. Secretary, the assurances of my highest consideration.
Frank L. Polk
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