811.504 Mexieo/28a
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Mexico (Messersmith)
Sir: Reference is made to the Department’s telegram no. 1171 of July 22, 194347 in regard to the contracting of agricultural workers for Texas under the agreement of August 4, 1942, and to subsequent communications between you and the Department regarding the reluctance of the Mexican Government to make these workers available because of the reported prevalence of racial discrimination against Mexicans in Texas. There is enclosed for your information and for such comment as you may wish to make, a copy of the translation of memorandum no. 4253 dated July 23, 1943 from the Mexican Embassy48 [Page 564] regarding what is stated to be an alarming increase in the number of reports received by that Embassy regarding discrimination suffered by Mexican residents in this country. In reading this memorandum you will no doubt note that it contains several incidents described in the communication which Dr. Padilla recently wrote to the Governor of Texas for delivery by Messrs. Blocker and McGregor. You will also no doubt share the opinion of the Department that the delivery of this memorandum to the Secretary on July 24 by the Mexican Ambassador, who came in at his request, is evidence that the Mexican Government is using the request of Texas for Mexican agricultural workers as the occasion for a strong drive to secure energetic measures on the part of this Government to put an end to racial discrimination.
The Department has under consideration the sending of a copy of this memorandum to the Governor of Texas but before doing so is awaiting a report of the visit to Governor Stevenson by Messrs. Blocker and McGregor.
Very truly yours,
- Not printed; it conveyed the approval of the War Manpower Commission and the War Food Administration to the contracting of 5,000 additional laborers (811.504 Mexico/11).↩
- Not printed; it contained illustrations of race discrimination in the schools, theaters, swimming pools, etc., of Texas (811.4016/637)↩