812.00/25136½
The Chargé in Mexico (Summerlin) to the Under Secretary of State (Fletcher)32
Dear Mr. Fletcher: I received late Friday last, your informal instruction dated July 21, 1921, enclosing a personal letter from the President to General Obregon. On account of the usual rush of work for the Saturday pouch, I was not able to start the work on a translation of the letter into Spanish until Sunday, the 31st ultimo. However, I called on Mr. Pani Monday morning, the first instant, and told him I had received this letter and asked for an appointment with General Obregon, at the latter’s convenience. Mr. Pani very kindly stated that he would arrange for me to be received informally the following morning (Tuesday). Tuesday’s papers all printed the announcement that General Obregon had left the evening before for Puebla, where he expected to remain until Wednesday the 3rd. I heard nothing further from Mr. Pani until the afternoon of the 3rd when, at a tea at Mrs. Pani’s, he stated that General Obregon had returned to the city slightly indisposed but that he would arrange for me to see the General the following morning. This was done and a member of the Protocol called for me at 5:45 p.m., the afternoon of the 4th and conducted me to Chapultepec Castle hill where I was received quite informally, and alone, by General Obregon, in his residence just back of and below the Castle. The General, who was very hoarse, stated that he had contracted a severe cold at Puebla and was still confined to his house. I thanked him for receiving me despite his illness, and after the usual preliminary greetings, I stated that I was under instructions from the Department, informally and [Page 424] unofficially to present in person the President’s personal, informal and unofficial reply to his personal and informal letter sent through Mr. Dover. I also stated that I had made a careful translation of the letter into Spanish, merely as a matter of courtesy and convenience for him, but that the translation into Spanish should not be considered as official.
General Obregon thanked me for delivering the letter and for my courtesy in making the translation. He said he would hasten to read the reply and that he would read it with great interest and care.
Very faithfully yours,
- No record of the date of receipt of this despatch in the Department.↩