File No. 812,113/366.
[Untitled]
Washington, April 13, 1912.
My Dear Mr. President: Referring to my letter to you of March 16, 1912, stating that the question of exceptions to your proclamation of March 14, 1912, prohibiting the exportation of arms and ammunition from any place in the United States into Mexico had come before this Department in three aspects, namely, (1) shipments of arms and munitions of war to the established Government in Mexico; (2) shipments of large amounts of explosives to private enterprises in Mexico; and (3) shipments of arms and ammunition for the protection of American citizens in Mexico, I beg to mention in connection with the last stated classification that the Southern Pacific Railroad of Mexico has now requested that an exception be made in their behalf of about 600 guns and about 120,000 rounds of ammunition to be shipped for the use of the Southern Pacific Railroad in the defense of their American employees and of Americans along the line of their railroad. These arms and this ammunition are to be shipped by the Southern Pacific Railroad of Mexico, via Nogales, to either Epes Randolph or Charles Hine, the latter being vice president and general manager of the railroad.
The information before this Department leads me to believe that this shipment is likely to reach its destination in safety, as the territory through which it must travel is under the control of the established Government of Mexico. In view of this circumstance, it would appear that there would be no objection to making an exception in this case and to granting permission to allow the shipment in question to be sent forward to its destination through the United States customhouse at Nogales.
I inclose herewith for signature by you, should it meet with your approval, a letter to the Secretary of the Treasury1 with regard to this shipment, prepared along the lines of previous letters transmitted to you by the Attorney General.
For your information and reference, I inclose a copy of the letter1 addressed to the Department by the Southern Pacific Railroad, from which you will note that the company desires that action be taken upon this request with as little delay as your other duties will permit.
I have [etc.]