File No. 812.00/6184.
The Secretary of State to the American Ambassador.
Washington, February 24, 1913.
Sir: With reference to your telegram of February 16, 9 p.m., in which you request instructions upon the subject of the measure of protection which should be extended by the Embassy to Mexicans seeking the assistance of the Embassy, you are informed that the general practice of the Department on the subject of temporary refuge is embodied in an instruction to the Consul General at Guayaquil, Ecuador, which is in the files of the Embassy.1 Briefly stated, only such temporary refuge should be accorded Mexicans as in your judgment is absolutely necessary to preserve innocent human life.
In this connection the Department also invites your attention to its instruction No. 38, of January 30, 1912, to the American Minister at Quito, a copy of which is inclosed herewith,2
I am [etc.]
- This instruction reads: “You may, in your discretion, afford temporary refuge where such is necessary in order to preserve innocent human life.”↩
- Printed in For. Rel. 1912, p. 399.↩