File No. 812.00/23444
The Secretary of State to the Special Commissioners.
Washington, May 26, 1914.
By way of comment on several passages of your telegram of the 25th and for the purpose of clearing up as many points as possible, the President directs me to say:
“We have not proposed or contemplated a direct transfer of government from Huerta to Carranza. On the contrary we think a provisional government necessary. At the same time it is evident to us that the preponderant influence in such a government would of necessity in the circumstances be with the Constitutionalists. Perhaps a single provisional president is preferable to a commission, in Which case the single man would of necessity be a Constitutionalist as we view the present conditions. What influences our thought and our preference in this matter is entirely the state of the facts and the method of dealing with them in such a way as to carry out a programme [Page 508] of peace and accommodation. Events have moved very fast and very far since mediation was agreed upon and we are endeavoring to interpret these events and to adjust each step to a programme of peace rather than of coercion, feeling that a programme which necessitated intervention and coercion would involve the interests, the welfare and the pride of the Mexican people much more deeply than an accommodation with the Constitutionalists carried out upon equitable terms. Even the occupation of Vera Cruz seemed for a little while to bring the danger of war with a whole people. The scope of the present negotiations has broadened in the view of the whole world and with the approbation of all who are concerned for the most permanent interests of America. We believe that this is the point of view from which the Mediators are handling the matter.”
Request a correction of the minutes to read “Mexican representatives “or some equivalent phrase instead of “representatives of the Mexican Government.” We do not feel that we would be justified even in this indirect way in being drawn into an apparent recognition of the government at Mexico City.