811.504/1091: Airgram
The Chargé in Mexico (Bursley) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 20—10 a.m.]
A–377. On the basis of rumors that a report to the President of Mexico99 by Ingeniero César Martino, Manager of the National Bank of Agricultural Credit, and particularly a recommendation in the report that an international commission be established to control the recruiting of Mexican laborers, was responsible for the present delay in recruiting, I called on Torres Bodet1 last night to ask whether such rumors had any foundation. He stated that they had absolutely no [Page 539] foundation and that the only difficulty was the one he had previously discussed with me confidentially, namely, the current disorganization in the Department of Labor.
Torres Bodet said that a telegram had been sent to the President of Mexico on February 16 with a view to ascertaining whether it might be possible to expedite the recruiting of agricultural laborers.
Torres Bodet said that in the absence of a reply from the President there was nothing further that he or I could do to facilitate the resumption of recruiting.