File No. 812.51/259
The Secretary of State to the German Ambassador
Washington, October 12, 1916.
Excellency: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s note of the 22d ultimo, in which you call the Department’s attention to the decree promulgated on September 15, 1916, by General Carranza, First Chief of the Constitutionalist Army, in charge of the Executive Power of the de facto Government of Mexico, whereby the repayment of obligations entered into in previous years is to be regulated.
You point out the hardships which the enforcement of this decree and others will put upon the banks in Mexico, foremost among which are the foreign banks—English, French, American and German—and you ask whether the Government of the United States is thinking of taking any steps before the Mexican Government in the matter, and, if so, what steps.
In reply, I have the honor to inform your excellency that on the 6th instant I sent to the American members of the American and Mexican Joint Commission copies of the translation of your excellency’s note, for their consideration.
Accept [etc.]