812.20/9–444

The Ambassador in Mexico ( Messersmith ) to the Acting Deputy Director of the Office of American Republic Affairs ( McGurk )

Dear Joe: I appreciate your letter of August 31 with which you sent me a copy of a letter dated August 28 from Lt. General McNarney, the Acting Chief of Staff, addressed to Assistant Secretary Berle,29 expressing the point of view of the Army with respect to the desire on the part of the Mexican Army to have ground forces participate overseas. I have taken due note that the War Department is in agreement with the views expressed by me in my letter of August 7 to the effect that the Army should refrain from any initiative in inviting the Mexicans to participate with a ground unit and that any initiative of this kind should come from the Mexican Government.

This information will be very helpful for me here and I shall be guided thereby.

Cordially and sincerely yours,

G. S. Messersmith
  1. Neither printed.