File No. 812.113/5391a
The Secretary of State to Mr. Arredondo
Washington, December 1, 1916.
My dear Mr. Arredondo: As soon as you left my office this morning I called to see the Secretary of War in regard to the raising of the embargo on arms and ammunition into Mexico, and presented to him in as favorable a light as I could the situation as you stated it to me.
The Secretary of War told me that the advices received by the military authorities of the United States were that the line of communication between Juarez and Chihuahua had been cut by the bandits operating in that region and that to ship arms south from Juarez would be to let them fall into the hands of the common enemy of Mexico and the United States.
[Page 1079]In view of these facts he stated it to be, from a military standpoint, most inexpedient to permit any shipments at the present time; and that while he realized the Mexican point of view and sympathized with your Government in the difficulties which it was called upon to face he could not bring himself to authorize a raising of the embargo.
In view of the opinion and decision thus expressed by the Secretary of War I regret extremely to say that for the present nothing can be done to relieve the shortage of ammunition from which, you tell me, General Trevino is suffering.
Very sincerely yours,