William B. Hale to William Jennings Bryan
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McK CIPHER
Washington.
November 18, 7 pm
After a day of evasive excuses for Carranza’s inability to see me personally, Escudero today informs me in a lengthy speech that the original subject of the lifting of the arms embargo has been broadened by the introduction of your inquiries relative to the Constitutionalists’ position regarding a Provisional Presidency; that Carranza must ask me hereafter to communicate in writing with his Minister for Foreign Affairs.
I xxpled replied that the withdrawal of Carranza from conferences upon which he had embarked with professions of perfect frankness and the tardy raidsing of questions of formality was incomprehensible, except upon the supposition, which we should dislike to entertain, that on certain features of his policy Carranza was unwilling to communicate to the President of the United States a speedy and candid reply.
I observed that this sudden change of method savored of a lack of candor in matters really vital and indicated a spirit of delay and evasion which I feared would create an unhappy impression at Washington.
As most unsuited to a critical moment and unworthy of men who aspired to govern a great nation.
If you desire me to communicate with Escudero in writing I presume you will advise me under what style to address him and in what character to subscribe myself — matters which they regard as of high (importance?). In my opinion this new assumption rises in part from an exaggerated sense of their own consequence inspired by recent Constitutional victories; in part is a shrewd effort to secure formal recognitions; but chiefly is a method of evading giving an immediate authorizationtative answer to your inquiries respecting a possible Provisional Presidency.
Carranza’s attitude is accurately represented by my despatches of November 15, 6 p. m., and November 16, 11 p. m. : he hesitates to state it boldly. If we press him in writing for an answer he will probably reply that the matter is one of purely internal policy which Mexicans cannot discuss with another Government.