312.1124 Caruana, George J. (Archbishop)
The Secretary of State to the General Secretary of the National Catholic Welfare Conference (Burke)
Dear Father Burke: I am in receipt of your letter of May 14, 1926,87 stating that information has reached you that His Excellency, the Most Reverend George Caruana, Apostolic Delegate to Mexico, an American citizen, has been notified by the Secret Police of the Mexican Government that he must leave Mexico within a period of six days. You add that you have been advised by the Chief of the Division of Mexican Affairs that the American Ambassador at Mexico City had interceded on behalf of Archbishop Caruana.
In reply I desire to inform you that Ambassador Sheffield telegraphed under date of May 1287 that Archbishop Caruana had informed him that he received notice on the afternoon of the 12th instant that he must leave Mexico within six days. The Ambassador further reported that, in accordance with telegraphic instructions from the Department sent to him on April 30,87 he would intercede on behalf of the Archbishop. Under date of May 13, the Ambassador telegraphed87 that he had interceded with the Mexican Minister of Foreign Affairs on behalf of the Archbishop and that the Minister [Page 705] had promised to make an investigation and advise the Ambassador as to the reasons for the proceedings.
The Ambassador has now reported in a telegram dated May 15, noon,88 that he had just received a memorandum dated the 13th instant, from the Foreign Office, stating that the Archbishop had been invited to leave the country. A further telegram received from the Ambassador, dated May 17, 10 A.M.,88 stated that Archbishop Caruana left Mexico City for Washington via Laredo on the night of the 16th instant.
The Department has taken a deep interest in this case and, as you know, while Ambassador Sheffield was interceding with the Mexican Foreign Minister I made appropriate representations on behalf of the Archbishop through the Mexican Ambassador at this capital. I regret the outcome of these efforts but I feel that everything has been done that this Government could consistently do in the circumstances.
Sincerely yours,