has already provoked much comment unfavorable to the cause of the Constitutionalists. Urge upon him the advisability of relieving this situation by permitting departure of all who desire to leave, and of making a declaration that protection will be afforded to all foreigners and their property. J. B. MOORE, File No. 312.52/104. George C. Carothers, Consular Agent, to the Secretary of State. [Extract.] EL PASO, TEXAS, December 31, 1913. SIR: I have the honor to report that I received your telegram dated the 13th instant, at Texas City, and at once proceeded here. * * * * I arrived in El Paso on the 17th and found Mr. Lázaro de la Garza and Felicitos Villareal, confidential advisers of Villa. I heard through them that two representatives from Carranza, Luis Cabrera and Eliseo Arredondo, were on the way to see Villa, so I decided to wait until their arrival and go down to Chihuahua together. * We arrived in Chihuahua on the morning of the 22d. * Villa invited me to breakfast with him the next morning, after which I had an hour's interview with him, principally regarding his treatment of Spaniards. He told me that he had found arms and ammunition in many Spanish houses and that he had positive information that they had aided the Federals in the defense of Chihuahua, both financially and physically, and that he had ordered them all to leave. as he had not the time to investigate each case, but that he was going to permit all those who could prove to him their innocence to return; that he knows very well that the Spaniards throughout Mexico are in sympathy with the Huerta Government assisting it in every way possible, and that it was necessary to "throw a scare into them," as he expressed it, in order to force those in Mexico City and other places to stop mixing with politics. He said that he has no intention of executing any of them unless he has positive proof of their guilt. I suggested to him that it would be well to give his prisoners a trial in proper form before executing them, pointing out to him the possibilities of petty revenges on the part of persons who had influence with him to do away with their enemies through false denunciations. He agreed to this, and I believe that he will be much easier than heretofore, as I am only one of many who have made similar representations to him. He said to tell you that the only way they can firmly establish a permanent peaceable Government in Mexico is by doing away with the bad elements when they catch them; that frequently his measures appear very harsh to our people, but that they are absolutely necessary, and that when the facts become known to our people they will change their opinion. * * * I asked him about the Terrazas family, and he told me that he had confiscated everything they had, that they were enemies of his cause, working against him, but that he was not going to execute young Terrazas, whom he is holding in Chihuahua pending some investigation. I do not believe he is in any body danger. I have [etc.] * * * G. C. CAROTHERS. THE CHIHUAHUA NEWSPAPER EL NUEVO MUNDO." SUMMARY.-The American Chargé d'Affaires on December 15 reported request of the Spanish Minister for the good offices of this Government to prevent seizure of the establishment in Chihuahua of "El Nuevo Mundo," of which Villa had taken the keys. The Department instructed the Consul at that point to extend all proper and possible protection to this property. (File Nos. 312.52/67, 80.) CERTAIN SPANIARDS AT CIUDAD PORFIRIO DIAZ. Arrest and extortion. SUMMARY.-The Consul reported that on July 26 the Carrancista chief of arms at C. P. Díaz, Gabriel Calzado, arrested a Spanish woman and extorted $2,000 Mexican. The Consul vigorously protested but without avail. (File No. 312.52/13.) Arrest and confiscation. SUMMARY.-The above-mentioned chief of arms, Calzado, seized the merchandise of Trueba Hermanos Sucesores. Their manager, Jacinto Barquín, appealed to the Consul on July 31 and to the Department August 1. The Consul immediately protested to Calzado and was instructed on August 13 to continue his good offices. He obtained the release of one member of the Trueba family who had been arrested and on August 18 reported that his protest had stopped the confiscation of the firm's merchandise. (File Nos. 312.52/14, 16, 17, 18, 21.) Arrest. SUMMARY.-The above-mentioned chief of arms, Calzado, arrested Manuel Martínez and Galindo Palacio on August 4, as spies. The Vice Consul reported the matter on August 7 but no further correspondence appears. (File No. 312.52/19.) Seizure of Live Stock. SUMMARY.-The Constitutionalists seized the live stock of the firms of Maiz Hermanos and Compañía Sautena; the Consul reported August 24 that he had protested vigorously. The Spanish Minister at Washington requested the Department's assistance, including di rections to the Texas authorities to the same end. The Department replied that those authorities would have no jurisdiction but the matter had been referred to the Treasury Department for its consideration and had instructed the Consuls at various points "to use their good offices with the local authorities in behalf of Spanish subjects in need of protection." Part of this live stock was returned after insistence by the Consul at C. P. Díaz, as the Spanish Minister was informed on September 9. (File Nos. 312.52/20, 22, 23, 26, 27, 35.) CASE OF MIGUEL DIEGO AT LAS VACAS. SUMMARY.-Upon complaint of H. J. Ware, that Diego's store had been looted by federal troops, the Consul at Ciudad Porfirio Díaz was instructed to endeavor to secure the return of the stolen goods. Upon protest by the Consul, the federal general at C. P. Díaz telegraphed December 4 to the local commander at Las Vacas to return the property and not to molest foreigners in the future. (File Nos. 312.51/48, 49, 52, 69.) CERTAIN SPANIARDS AT CIUDAD JUÁREZ. Seizure of Merchandise. SUMMARY.-The Spanish Minister on November 20 requested the good offices of the Department in behalf of various Spaniards having goods in danger of seizure by the revolutionists. In response to the Department's instructions based on this request, the Consul at that point reported having requested the Mexican authorities to allow transfer of the goods to the American side. (File Nos. 312.52/44 and 45.) Confiscation and threatened violence. SUMMARY.-The Spanish Minister reported to the Department on November 27, receipt from the Spanish subjects Manuel Trueba, Domingo Trueba, Andres Delreumberri, Monjo Laredo y Cia, Francisco Sainz, E. Fernandez, and Francisco Gutierrez, living in Ciudad Juárez, a telegram begging him to ask this Government to use its good offices to protect their lives and property. It stated that the revolutionists had closed their establishments and they were threatened with utter ruin and were in great personal danger. The Consul was instructed immediately to use all efforts to secure protection for them and their property. (File No. 312.52/46.) CERTAIN SPANIARDS AT MATAMOROS. Protection of person and property. SUMMARY.-The Spanish Consul at Tampico and the Spanish Minister at Washington, on June 20 and 24 respectively, requested of the Department the protection of the persons and properties of the family and firms of Armendáiz (Armendaráiz) at Matamoros, where there was no Spanish Consul. The American Consul at Matamoros was instructed to use his good offices to that end on June 23. (File No. 312.52/7 and 8.) There was some controversy with the Mexican authorities as to the Spanish citizenship of those concerned. (File Nos. 312.52/9, 10 and 12). On July 10 the Consul was instructed to use his good offices for the protection of the property of Modesto Arconada, Spanish subject and representative of Armendaiz Sucesores. (File No. 312.52/11.) On September 15 the Spanish Minister was informed of a report from the Consul saying that his repeated efforts to protect the property of Spanish subjects at Matamoros had met with little success, the position assumed by the Carranza party being that those hostile to them must make contributions. (File No. 312.52/28.) Robbery by revolutionists. SUMMARY.-Complaint being made on behalf of E. Colsa Mora of robbery, the Consul was instructed on September 9 to make urgent unofficial representations to the Mexican authorities and to give such assistance as possible. (File No. 312.52/25.) Confiscatory tax on cattle. SUMMARY.-The Spanish Ambassador on December 23 informed the Department that a tax of $10 per head had been placed on 2,000 cattle belonging to Señor de San Román and other Spaniards. San Román had telegraphed that " total ruin of Spanish interests in that region is inevitable unless the United States Government, the only one, apparently, respected by Carranza, is disposed once more to intercede on their behalf." The Department on December 23 instructed the American Consul at Matamoros to remonstrate carnestly with Carranza or his representatives and say that "this Government looks with grave disfavor on unjustifiable discriminatory exactions such as that of which the Embassy complains. Such incidents can not fail to accentuate the present unfortunate condition of affairs in Mexico." The Consul at Hermosillo, Sonora, was instructed in the same terms. (File No. 312.52/96.) SPANIARDS AT TORREÓN. SUMMARY.-The Spanish Minister on October 15 requested the Department to commend to the appropriate consul all Spaniards in Torreón in order to prevent injury to their persons and property. The Consuls at that point and at Durango were so instructed on the same date, the latter being also instructed to request Carranza to issue immediate orders for the adequate protection of all foreigners 140322° -FR 1913-58 at Torreón. He responded, October 18, that Carranza had informed the Consul at Hermosillo that "Spaniards in Torreón not implicated in politics will have same protection guaranteed them as Americans and all foreigners." (File Nos. 312.52/30 and 33.) File No. 312.51/6. PROTECTION OF FRENCH CITIZENS. The Acting Secretary of State to the Secretary of the Navy. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, October 31, 1913. SIR: Referring to this Department's letter of October 29th in which you were informed that in a telegram received from the American Embassy at Mexico City, dated October 26th, it was stated that the French Legation at Mexico City had requested that the United States send a warship to protect its nationals at San Ignacio, near Boleo, State of Sinaloa, I have the honor to advise you that in a later telegram received from the American Embassy at Mexico City it appears that the San Ignacio referred to is located in Lower California, near Santa Rosalía. This information was verbally conveyed to Commander Watts on October 30th, and I understand that the Navy Department has already communicated this information to Admiral Cowles at Guaymas and has received a reply from the Admiral stating that all French citizens in the vicinity of San Ignacio are now in Santa Rosalía under full protection of à Federal force and a Mexican man-of-war. As the conditions reported seem to meet the necessities of the case and the desire of the french Legation that its nationals at San Ignacio be protected, it is not deemed that any further action at this time will be necessary. I have [etc.] J. B. MOORE. File No. 312.51/12. The Secretary of State to the American Chargé d'Affaires. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, November 20, 1913. SIR: The Department has received your No. 2119, of November 5. transmitting a letter of thanks from the French Minister at Mexico City, for the action of the United States in sending a vessel of the Navy to protect French citizens at El Boleo. Copies of your despatch and its enclosures have been sent to the Secretary of the Navy for his information. I am [etc.] For the Secretary of State: Not printed, |