File No. 612.119/1795
The Ambassador in Mexico ( Fletcher ) to the Secretary of State
1260. Your 1240. I propose to give the following announcement to the press Wednesday afternoon at 6 o’clock for publication Thursday morning newspapers.
In giving concrete expression to the friendly sentiments expressed in behalf of the Government of the United States by President Wilson in his address to the Mexican journalists at the White House on June 7 last, the Department of State has arranged that export licenses will be freely granted for shipments to Mexico of the commodities hereinafter enumerated, subject only to the restrictions imposed by the laws and regulations of the United States respecting trading with the enemy.
Here, first, list of articles which will be licensed freely and, secondly, list of articles which will be licensed in quantities and under certain period.1 Announcement continues.
The above list of articles is not meant to be exclusive. The Government of the United States will be glad to consider carefully and in the most friendly spirit any requests which the Mexican Government may make for the inclusion of other articles in this list. The United States has been compelled to conserve certain commodities indispensably required for its own use and for the use of the Governments associated with it in the war which in normal times would be permitted to be freely exported from the United States to Mexico, but as a result of the efforts of the United States Government to stimulate production the list of such conserved articles will gradually contract and conditions of trade and intercourse between the two countries will, it is hoped, soon become normalized. In taking this friendly position toward Mexico the United States Government has no doubt that the Mexican Government will continue to allow commodities not imperatively needed in Mexico to be exported to the United States and will not permit the commodities and food received from the United States nor similar commodities and food to be exported to other countries.