File No. 812.512/387.
Vice Consul Bevan to the Secretary of State.
Tampico, August 6, 1914.
Your August 4. Instruction complied with. Following reply from Nafarrate this afternoon:
Our intentions have been and shall be to give a government character to every one of our operations, therefore you will see that in this case it has never been our intention to solicit any forced loan but as a fact it is treated as a war tax upon the general commerce of this port and not as a demand for loans from nationals or foreigners etc.
This office requested to know why arbitrary list discriminating against other companies have been selected. He advised that several companies had made voluntary contributions and were omitted for this reason. This office then advised him that the measure was unjust and discriminatory and requested an extension of time before attempting to collect from companies which was granted. Companies named on list have advised this office that they will be forced to close down if order is carried out.