The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-08-15
MExIco,s REPLY

nle2Sed second instant. advised me of the in- structions which you had received to notify this department that if the lives of the citizens of the United States in Mexico continues in state or inse- curity and if murders should continue because of the unwillingress or m ability of the Mexican government to give adequate protection. the govern ment of the United States would be comnelied to adopt radical change in it's policy with regard to Mexico.
 on reply. I have the honor to state that the fact that offenses against the lives of citizens of the United states have occurred in the territory or the republic cannot be notoriously attriDut- ed to unwillngness to give protectioh' The willingness to furnish th1s protec ton has been expressed repeatedly aiu the material difficulties in the way or f,.IfiIlinp a promise, supposing that 1t is not fulfilled. should not be contuseu with unwillingness to do so, simply as this willingness had been demonstrated by acts.
 Moreover. if we consider the protec- tion of human life in absolute terms, that is to say, if in every case ana wherever a citizen of the United states | nay be within Mexican territory ne should enjoy special and effective pro- lection to a degree such that his life may never be placed in danger, 1t IS not possible for the government to do this because so perfect a condtlon or security exists nowhere: with all the moEe reason is this true. considering the great territorial extent of the re- public its scanty population, and the difficult conditions which prevail after a long civil war.
 .~The government of Mexico has all ways endeavored as far as possible to give full security to the lives of for eigners as well as of it's nationals, but the fact is that foreigners. through ignorance. the lack of prudence, or rash eagerness for profit. venture to re- main or to travel in dangerous resious, thereby mourning the risk of becoming the victims of offenses and even trust ing to escape offenses because or tnelr being foreigners.
 GUILTY ARE PURSUED
 "It should be remembered, more- over. that always when the govern ment of Mexico has had knowledge of an offense it has pursued the presum- ably guilty parties The pursuit Tn such cases surely is not the same as that ordinarily made in cities in the case of ordinary crimes because the circumstances are different in a pop ulous community. In the latter 1t Is relatively easy to identify the guilty party. while in uninhabited places the band which committed the offense Is located and pursued, is overtaken and as many as possible are killed with out generally being able to identity the really guilty party. because even within the band of offenders itself 1t is impossible to determine as might be supposed, which protectile of a voliey caused a murder. The recent Correll case proves that the Mexican government. following this procedure, which Is the only possible one, IS ois- playing the greatest activity. Be cause Immediately after this murder it was reported forces left in pursuit of the band and killed four of the vil- lains.
 .The Mexican government has besn constantly preoccupied with the paci- fication of the republic and as first step has destroyed the principal rebel groups and has conquered the most nottrious leaders. as iS demonstrated by the conclusion of the recent Villa movement, the death of Zapata- of Blanquet and Inez Ayila. without mer- tioning the operations against groups of minor importance. necessary consequence of this progress in the labor of justification Is the existence Of some bands. the weak remains of the large groups.
 SUGGEST CONCENTRATION
 The Mexican government. has been, and continues. animated by the bes. Of intentions to eliminate all those dis- faculties which might disturb it's good relations with the government of the
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