File No. 812.00/14052a.
The Secretary of State to Vice Consul Silliman.
Washington, July 23, 1914, 5 p.m.
By direction of the President I send the following to be communicated by you to Carranza at once:
Not only the United States, but all the world, will watch with the greatest interest and concern the course now to be pursued by the [Page 569] leaders of the Constitutionalist cause in effecting a transfer of power at Mexico City. This Government feels that the critical time has come when the choice which is now to be made by the Constitutionalist leaders will practically determine the success or failure of the government they mean to set up and the reforms they hope to effect.
We venture to say this because of our earnest sympathy with the main purposes of the Constitutionalists and our desire to be of permanent service to them in bringing Mexico out of her troubles. We have been forced by circumstances into a position in which we must practically speak for the rest of the world. It is evident that the United States is the only first-class power that can be expected to take the initiative in recognizing the new government. It will in effect act as the representative of the other powers of the world in this matter and will unquestionably be held responsible by them for the consequences. Every step taken by the Constitutionalist leaders from this moment on and everything which indicates the spirit in which they mean to proceed and to consummate their triumph must of necessity, therefore, play a very important part in determining whether it will be possible for the United States to recognize the government now being planned for.
In the most earnest spirit of friendship, therefore, this Government wishes to call attention to the following matters of critical consequence:
First, the treatment of foreigners, foreign lives, foreign property, foreign rights, and particularly the delicate matter of the financial obligations, the legitimate financial obligations, of the government now superseded. Unless the utmost care, fairness and liberality are shown in these matters the most dangerous complications may arise.
Second, the treatment of political and military opponents. Unless there is to be a most generous amnesty it is certain that the sympathy of the whole world, including the people of the United States, now the real friends of the Constitutionalists, will be hopelessly alienated and the situation become impossible.
Third, the treatment of the Roman Catholic Church and of those who represent it. Nothing will shock the civilized world more than punitive or vindictive action toward priests or ministers of any church, whether Catholic or Protestant; and the Government of the United States ventures most respectfully but most earnestly to caution the leaders of the Mexican people on this delicate and vital matter. The treatment already said to have been accorded priests has had a most unfortunate effect upon opinion outside of Mexico.
You can not too earnestly urge these matters upon the attention of those now in the counsels of the Constitutionalists. It is obvious to us that the whole future of what the Constitutionalists are attempting will depend upon the way and the spirit in which they deal with these questions. Nothing ought to be overlooked or dealt with hastily which may result in our being obliged to withhold the recognition of this Government from the new government to be created at Mexico City as we withheld it from General Huerta. Our ability or inability to serve them they must now determine.