File No. 812.00/3087a.
The Acting Secretary of State to the American Ambassador.
Washington, March 6, 1912—7 p.m.
All Latin-American missions have been instructed as follows:
The Department desires that in case the disturbed conditions in Mexico which have prevailed for the past year or more attract public attention or become the subject of conversation you will not neglect any suitable occasion in conversation to promote appreciation of the friendly and patient attitude of this Government. Conditions in Mexico are undeniably bad and both Americans and foreigners are in a precarious situation. The United States has been obliged to station some troops on the frontier, but merely1 as a deterrent to prevent a repetition of the occurrence of last year, when firing into American territory from Mexico resulted in the killing and injuring of American citizens on American soil, a repetition of which, as was recently threatened at El Paso, could hardly be tolerated.
This Government is continuing to exercise the greatest forbearance under the great difficulties presented. The President has issued a proclamation warning and admonishing all persons within the jurisdiction of the United States and to American citizens generally strictly to obey the law by holding absolutely aloof from the disturbances in Mexico and the Embassy at Mexico City was authorized in its discretion to advise American citizens to leave such most dangerous places as the Embassy might specify. The President’s determined purpose of no intervention has been again emphasized.
- For an amendment to this sentence see, post, telegram of March 20 to the American Minister to Cuba.↩