812.6363/6177a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the American Delegation at the Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the American Republics at Panama, 1939
30. For the Under Secretary from Duggan. Ambassador Daniels who passed through Washington last night stated that President Cárdenas has not yet made up his mind regarding the reply to be made to the President’s letter. President Cárdenas indicated, however, that while the procedure suggested in the President’s letter, particularly that part dealing with the solution of the petroleum controversy, might be acceptable to him he felt that the companies had not yet really made a whole-hearted effort to come to a solution through direct negotiations with him. Inasmuch as Mexican public opinion holds the same view he thought that inability to arrive at an agreement would have to be clearly demonstrated to public opinion before it would be possible for the Mexican Government to go forward with arbitration. He said that he would send his reply by Castillo Nájera whose departure from Mexico City has now been postponed until October 8. He is due to arrive in Washington October 12. [Duggan.]