812.5200/75: Telegram
The Ambassador in Mexico ( Sheffield ) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 21—4:38 a.m.]
245. According to the local press, Foreign Office reports that it has received nothing in the nature of a protest against the bill to regulate section 1 of article 27. Anxiety is expressed by several of my colleagues including those of France, Great Britain, and the Netherlands, as well as by interested American citizens, that action in the Senate to pass the bill may be precipitated because of a belief that the subject is one of prestige for the Government in respect of public opinion. I think the bill will probably be passed, without material changes, in the near future. I suggest, therefore, that the Department formulate its observations on the bill and send me instructions. Subject to the approval of the Department and in case the passage of the bill should appear imminent, I would use the Department’s observations in making appropriate representations to the Government of Mexico if necessary before the receipt of reply of Foreign Office to your message of November 13, but otherwise would withhold them until such reply had been received. What I have in mind is to forestall possibility of Mexico claiming later that the United States never made any specific protest against the bill.