812.6363/4441a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Mexico ( Daniels )

143. It will be recalled that by telegram no. 45, March 26, 2 p.m.,12 I sent you the text of a note to be delivered to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. By telegram you transmitted various observations for my consideration. After giving them careful thought I sent you telegram [Page 757] no. 47, March 27, 2 p.m.,13 instructing you to deliver textually the note as transmitted, with the omission of one word, and authorizing you to inform the Minister for Foreign Affairs that this Government was prepared to withhold publication of the note for the time being, and definitely if a satisfactory solution were found. By telegram no. 80 of March 27, 8 p.m.,13 you stated that you had delivered the note to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

By telegram no. 83, March 29, 1 p.m.,13 you informed me of President Cárdenas’ request that the note delivered on the afternoon of March 27 be withdrawn and altered because it made no reference to certain oral observations regarding compensation which he had made to you on the occasion of your call on March 22. Later on the afternoon of March 29 you telephoned and I talked principally with Boal, because you had a sore throat. My record of conversation shows that Boal presented orally the views contained in your telegram 83, of March 29, 1 p.m. I informed him that it would be impossible for this Government to withdraw the note, but that in an endeavor to be as sympathetic as possible I suggested that the Mexican Government present in writing the views it had previously given orally to the Ambassador, and that this communication need not refer to or be in reply to the note which you had already delivered. It was never remotely contemplated that the note would be suspended or withdrawn, inasmuch as the note had been delivered and received in the regular procedure in these matters. The Department’s position was that the Mexican Government could state its own position as though it were not in reply to our note, which of course would have to stand, but that publication of the note would be withheld, at least temporarily, and permanently if a satisfactory solution were found. In view of the fact, as you stated this morning on the telephone to Duggan, that the note is still in the physical possession of the Mexican Foreign Office, I believe it desirable that whatever ambiguity may have existed in the minds of the Mexican Government be clarified at once, and therefore desire you to inform the Minister for Foreign Affairs that this Government has always considered, and will continue to consider the note as regularly delivered and valid in every respect. You may inform General Hay that in view of a misunderstanding that has arisen an endeavor will be made, in responding to press inquiry, not to mention this particular communication but that my position in this matter will have to be reconsidered if the Mexican Government or persons closely connected therewith continue to deny publicly that a note was delivered on March 27.

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