Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1943, The American Republics, Volume VI

811.504/2400

Memorandum by Mr. W. G. MacLean of the Division of the American Republics²⁹

[Washington,] June 30, 1943.

In the underlying despatch no. 10915 of June 21, 1943,³⁰ the Embassy reports in paragraph 3 that the Mexican Government has issued orders to its Consuls in Texas that no Mexican agricultural workers should be sent into that State under existing agreements because of the prevalence of discrimination there against Mexican residents.

This situation has been rumored for some time but is only now confirmed in connection with special efforts made by Judge Briggs³¹ of Texas in Mexico City to arrange for workers for Texas. Foreign Minister Padilla said that if the situation with respect to discrimination in Texas improved, he would be glad to have the attitude of the Mexican Government reconsidered.

Judge Briggs told the Mexican Government and our Embassy that he would take the matter up with Governor Stevenson.³² One step suggested by Judge Briggs was the writing of a letter on the subject by Governor Stevenson to the appropriate Mexican officials, and a draft copy thereof was prepared with the counsel of the Embassy.

A step taken by the Governor, at the insistence of Judge Briggs, according to airgram A–57 of June 26 from Consul General Blocker,³³ was a proclamation on the Good Neighbor Policy dated June 25 for publication in all Texas papers. Attached is a clipping from La Prensa of San Antonio of June 27 which contains the Governor’s proclamation, which turns out to be the resolution passed by the Texas legislature and signed by the Governor on May 6, last, and which was the subject of RA–Me’s³⁴ memorandum of June 26, 1943, a copy of which is attached.³⁵

The Ambassador invites attention to the fact that so far no Mexican agricultural workers have been certified for Texas, and that such certification if made from now on will raise this worker-racial discrimination question in concrete form. It is therefore interesting to note that Judge Briggs approached the War Food Administration yesterday to take up the question of securing workers.

29. Addressed to the Chief of the Division of the American Republics (Bonsal), the Assistant Chief of that Division (McGurk), and the Assistant Adviser on International Economic Affairs (Mulliken).
30. Not printed.
31. Judge Cullen Briggs, Nueces County, Texas.
32. Governor Coke R. Stevenson of Texas.
33. Airgram not printed.
34. Mexican section of the Division of the American Republics.
35. Not found in Department files.