Office of the Historian

File No. 812.00/23493a.

The Secretary of State to the Spanish Ambassador.

Department of State,
Washington, April 28, 1914.

My Dear Mr. Ambassador: I have communicated to the President the proposition21 which you were kind enough to submit on behalf of General Huerta’s Minister for Foreign Affairs to the effect that an agreement should be entered into for the suspension of hostilities during mediation and have the honor to report to you his views:

Please call the attention of the Minister for Foreign Affairs to the fact that war has not been declared; that the United States occupies Vera Cruz in accordance with abundant international precedents as a means of enforcing redress for a specific indignity; and that inasmuch as a state of war does not exist the further action of the United States depends entirely upon the attitude and action of General Huerta. In such circumstances a formal armistice is not necessary. General Huerta can himself carry out his desire that hostilities shall cease during the pendency of the present negotiations.

I am [etc.]

W. J. Bryan
.
  1. Oral.↩