The Secretary of War presents his compliments to the Honorable, the
Secretary of State, and has the honor to enclose, in connection with his
file Me 612.119/2850, four (4) copies of American Railroad Association
Circular CCS–40, promulgated to all railroads, on the subject of embargo
on shipments of arms and munitions to Mexican border points.
[Enclosure]
Circular CCS–40 of the American Railway
Association
Washington, June 19,
1920.
To Railroads: In order to comply with the
President’s Proclamation of July 12, 1919,71
prohibiting the exportation of arms or munitions of war from the
United States to Mexico, and to prevent the indiscriminate sale of
arms and other munitions along the border:
1. All railroads will immediately embargo all shipments of arms and
ammunition to Mexican Border points except those covered by
Government bills of lading; or those that are authorized by proper
military authorities, or those that are authorized to be exported
into Mexico by a license issued under the authority of the Secretary
of State, as provided for in paragraph six (6) hereof.
2. As used in this order, Border Points will be understood to be as
follows, all points inclusive; The cities of Galveston and Houston;
Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe—Rincon and points south and west; El
Paso & Southwestern—Alamogordo and points south and west; Texas
& Pacific—Pecos and points west; Southern Pacific—Yuma to El
Paso and all points south. In addition all points on and south
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and west of a line
following the Southern Pacific from El Paso to San Antonio and the
San Antonio and Aransas Pass from San Antonio to Corpus Christi.
3. Among the arms and munitions of war referred to are included the
following: field guns; machine guns; automatic rifles; grenades;
bombs; high power rifles of caliber .22 or larger and ammunition for
same; revolvers and automatic pistols, and ammunition for same.
This embargo does not include shot guns, shot gun ammunition and low
power rifles of small caliber, such as are used in shooting
galleries, and ammunition for them; dynamite, blasting powder, and
other high explosives and fuses or caps for firing same.
4. Local persons, firms, or corporations desiring shipments made to
them at border points, as defined in paragraph two (2), will apply
to the commander of the military forces at the nearest one of the
following points; San Antonio, Brownsville, Laredo, Eagle Pass, Del
Kio, Marfa, El Paso, Columbus, Douglas, Nogales and Yuma.
Such commander is authorized to approve these requests when, in his
judgement, such arms and other munitions are not to be used for
purposes inconsistent with the purpose of these restrictions. When
his approval is obtained; it should be forwarded to the shipper for
file with the bill of lading, as authority for the railroad to
transport the property in question.
5. To provide for the sale or shipment of arms or other munitions now
at border points designated in paragraph two (2), the local
intelligence officers will consider applications for such sale.
Final action on application will rest with the commanding officers
mentioned in paragraph four (4), above.
6. Persons, firms or corporations having authority from the War
Department to ship arms or munitions to border points will furnish
the shipper a copy of such authority for file with the bill of
lading covering the same. Persons, firms or corporations having
authority from the Secretary of State to export arms or munitions
into Mexico will furnish the shipper a copy of such authority for
file with the bill of lading covering the same.
7. Agents in billing shipments of arms and munitions as above
described to border points or into Mexico, which have been properly
authorized, will, for information of intermediate roads, place
notation on waybill accompanying shipment, to the effect that
authority from the War or State Departments, respectively,
authorizing shipment, is on file at the office at point of
origin.
This supersedes American Railway Circular No. 13, dated July 3rd,
1917, and any other instructions heretofore issued in conflict
herewith.
