File No. 812.63/372
The Secretary of State to Ambassador Fletcher
Washington, March 8, 1917.
Sir: Referring to despatch No. 137, of February 17, from the Consulate at Durango, a copy of which is stated by the Vice Consul in charge to have been sent to your Embassy, you are instructed to bring to the attention of the appropriate authorities the conditions disclosed in that despatch, respecting the lack of protection to American property in the Durango Consular District and the operations of bandits therein, and urgently to request that a sufficient force be sent to this section to afford adequate protection to American property from losses by bandits.
You will add that, in accordance with the desires of both Governments that American owned mining property in Mexico shall be worked so soon as conditions shall seem to be safe and convenient for so doing, it is hoped that the de facto Government of Mexico will take early steps to remedy the further difficulties in the way of such working in the Durango district, disclosed in the Vice Consul’s despatch, such as lack of railway facilities, forced loans to military chiefs, excessive taxation unjustly assessed by State officials, and confiscations by military authorities of explosives essential for use in mining operations.
I am [etc.]