File No. 312.11/1170.
The American Ambassador to the Secretary of State.
Mexico, February 24, 1913—8 p.m.
36. I dispatched a note to General Huerta to-day in the sense of Department’s instruction of February 21, 11 p.m. It was marked [Page 737] “Personal—Unofficial.” The President returned me a verbal message that the matters referred to in my note should have immediate action over everything else and that my requests should be attended to and complied with.
Before receiving this reply I had an interview with De la Barra, wherein he agreed to use his best efforts to procure an immediate solution of all pending matters in a manner satisfactory to the Government of the United States. I urged him to take such action as would bring satisfactory results before the new American administration should take office, in order that it might not be embarrassed by having to deal with questions which so nearly concern the good relations between the two countries. He promised that, after having received instructions from the President, he would proceed to the solution of all difficulties except the Chamizal matter, which was being treated through the Embassy in Washington. He promised to send an immediate instruction to the Embassy touching these matters and to say also that the new ambassador who will be shortly appointed would have full authority to arrange the Chamizal matter in a satisfactory way.
In my communication to General Huerta I said that we ask nothing of Mexico which we would not cheerfully accord on our part under similar circumstances, and I have recited the history of the discussions which have taken place. I added that during the Madero administration we have not been able to procure the slightest evidence of a desire to act in a spirit of fairness to our complaints.