File No. 812.00/6223a.
The Secretary of State to the American Ambassador
Washington, February 17, 1913—2 a.m.
Your February 15, 7 p.m., February 15, 10 p.m., and February 15, 11 p.m., appear to cover in the main the questions asked in the Department’s February 15, midnight, and therefore before the receipt of your reply the President is now telegraphing to President Madero the following reply, which is quoted, for your information and guidance: [Here follows the telegram from the President dated February 16; see ante.]
The action of certain Mexican Senators in exciting the crowds by stories of intervention, supposedly with the object of influencing Madero to yield, causes the President to fear danger to Americans. But I apprehend that a too emphatic denial might possibly destroy the sobering effect of the idea that intervention in certain contingencies could not be avoided. On the other hand, messages from various sources indicate that President Madero has telegraphed widely over Mexico an intimation that the landing of American forces has been ordered. This, like his circulation of the unauthorized Associated Press statement reported in your telegram of February 15, 10 p.m., to the effect that there would be no intervention unless Americans were wantonly slaughtered, appears to be part of his effort to manipulate to his own advantage Mexican opinion as to this Government’s attitude. These false reports present the same danger and the same problem. Accordingly, with your full knowledge of the President’s policy and your intimate knowledge of the local situation, it is left to you to deal with this whole matter of keeping Mexican opinion, both official and unofficial, in a salutary equilibrium between a dangerous and exaggerated apprehension and a proper degree of wholesome fear.