811.504 Mexico/378
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Mexico (Messersmith)
Sir: Reference is made to the Department’s instruction no. 5474 of March 22, 1944 and to the Embassy’s reply thereto, despatch no. 16705 of March 29, 1944,5 regarding the assignment of Mexican agricultural workers under the 75,000 quota to States other than the thirteen listed in the instruction under reference.
Upon receipt of your despatch the War Food Administrator was informed by letter dated April 8, 19446 that it was your opinion that recruiting could proceed for these thirteen States, including California, up to the 75,000 overall limit and with no further reference to the previously established limit of 10,000 in the case of California.
There is enclosed for your information a copy of a letter dated April 17, 19446 from the War Food Administration in which it is requested that the Mexican Government be informed that the Administration now desires to select and contract workers for six additional States under the overall quota. The States named are Iowa, Michigan, New Mexico, Minnesota, Utah and Wisconsin. In conformity with the desire of the Mexican Government, assurance is given that Mexican nationals employed in any of these States will be under the jurisdiction of the War Food Administration.
Please inform the Mexican Government, in your discretion, of this request of the War Food Administration with a view to obtaining the desired authorization for the employment of Mexican workers in the six States listed. Please notify the Department of the nature of that Government’s reply at your earliest convenience.7
Very truly yours,