File No. 704.9312/13

The Secretary of State to the Chinese Minister

No. 44

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of March 16, 1917, confirming your oral inquiry if it will be agreeable to this Government to permit its Consular Officers in Mexico, in the absence of Chinese Consular Officers there, to use their good offices in behalf of Chinese citizens in that country.

I take pleasure in informing you that American Consular Officers in Mexico have been instructed, when it may seem necessary to do so, to render such informal good offices as may be possible and as they are permitted to exercise by the local authorities to Chinese citizens resident in Mexico.

Accept [etc.]

Robert Lansing