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The Morrow Mission and the International Committee of Bankers on Mexico: The Interaction of Finance Diplomacy and the New Mexican Elite

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 February 2009

Robert Freeman Smith
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Extract

When Dwight Morrow's appointment as Ambassador to Mexico was announced in September 1927, a Mexican newspaper commented: ‘After Morrow come the marines.’ To some contemporary observers this may have seemed to present a logical progression of events, but in reality the Morrow appointment was a distinct move in the opposite direction. Top level Mexican officials knew this since they had been involved for several years in negotiations with Thomas W. Lamont of the International Committee of Bankers on Mexico. Lamont and Morrow were colleagues in J. P. Morgan & Co. and close friends. Lamont regularly supplied Morrow with information about the activities of the International Committee, and during 1926 Morrow began to work closely with Lamont on the Mexican question.

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Articles
Information
Journal of Latin American Studies , Volume 1 , Issue 2 , November 1969 , pp. 149 - 166
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1969

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References

1 Dulles, John W. F., Yesterday in Mexico: A Chronicle of the Revolution, 1919–1936 (Austin, Texas, 1961), pp. 324–5.Google Scholar

2 The International Committee was organized in the fall of 1918; although preliminary steps were taken in 1917. As chairman of the American section, Lamont was the leading figure on the Committee and its chief negotiator. For a more complete discussion of the early years of the Committee, see my article, ‘The Formation and Development of the International Bankers Committee on Mexico’, The Journal of Economic History, 23 (12 1963), pp. 574–86.Google Scholar

3 Glade, William P. and Anderson, Charles W., The Political Economy of Mexico: Politics and Development Banking in Mexico (Madison, Wisconsin, 1963), pp. 113–14, 112–19.Google ScholarWionczek, Miguel S., El Nacionalismo Mexicano y la Inversión Extranjera (México, D.F., 1967), pp. 63–5, 187–9.Google Scholar For a discussion of Lamont's private diplomacy with Mexican officials see my article, ‘Thomas W. Lamont and United States-Mexican Relations: Some Aspects of the Usefulness of a Private Manuscript Collection’, Harvard Library Bulletin, 15 (01 1967), 49–58Google Scholar; also, Flores, Jesus Romero, La Constitución de 1917 y los Primeros Gobiernos Revolucionario, II, Anales Historicos de la Revolución Mexicana (México, D.F., 1960), pp. 180–1Google Scholar; Esparza, Roberto Guzman (ed.), Memorias de Don Adolfo de la Huerta: Segun su proprio dictado (México, D.F., 1957), pp. 208–9Google Scholar; Pani, Alberto, Las Conferencias de Bucareli (México, D.F., 1953), p. iii.Google Scholar

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6 The files of the Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores contain numerous reports from secret agents about such activities: Archivo General de la Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores de México, Ramo 119, ‘Revolución Mexicana, 1910–1920’, L-E-837, Leg 12 (for 1917–19), L-E-809, Leg 12 (for 1924). See also, Meyer, Lorenzo, México y Estados Unidos en el Conflicto Petrolero (1917–1942) (México, D.F., 1968), pp. 100–3, 138–9, 146–7, 157.Google Scholar

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17 ibid. This position was supported by the representative of the International Committee in Mexico; Memorandum by E. R. Jones (Wells Fargo & Company Express, S.A.), 9 Sept. 1925, ibid.

18 Memorandum by Lamont of a conversation with Secretary Kellogg, 16 Sept. 1925, SD 812. 51/1201.

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23 Extensive research in the Lamont and Morrow collections has not produced a single case where either man used terms such as ‘ignorant Indians’ to describe Mexican officials. In this regard, Ambassador James R. Sheffield frequently used these terms.

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25 Morrow, to Lamont, , 3 01 1928Google Scholar, Morrow Mss. For documents giving the details of these meetings and their effect on the Mexican government, see: Memorandum of the conversation held when Pani and Negrete dined with Morrow on Tuesday evening, 23 Feb. 1927, Morrow Mss; Memorandum by Dwight Morrow, 21 Feb. 1927, ibid. Memorandum by Dwight Morrow, 18 March 1927, ibid. Memorandum for Mr. Negretc by Lamont, Thomas, 25 05 1927Google Scholar, ibid. Memorandum, conversation between Pani, Negrete, Morrow, Cochran, Anderson, and Munroe, , 25 02 1927Google Scholar, ibid.Lamont, to Legorreta, Agustin, 14 01 1927Google Scholar, Lamont Mss. Lamont, to Olds, Robert, 16 05 1927Google Scholar, ibid.Lamont, to Téllez, Manuel C., 16 05 1927Google Scholar, ibid.Lamont, to Legorreta, , 15 07 1927Google Scholar, ibid.

26 Morrow, to Lamont, , 12 04 1927Google Scholar, ibid.

27 Shoup, Paul to Clark, Edward T., 27 12 1926Google Scholar, Edward T. Clark Papers, Library of Congress (Manuscript Division). Clark was the private secretary of President Coolidge. Memorandum by Dwight Morrow, 21 Feb. 1927, Morrow Mss.

28 Shoup, to Clark, , 2 03 1927Google Scholar, Clark Mss. Shoup also reported that he had had conversations with some of the most important mining interests and two of the largest American landholders in Mexico, and all wanted an amicable settlement made of the oil controversy.

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30 Memorandum of a meeting at Mr. Lamont's house, at 9:30 a.m., 31 March 1927, at which the Mexican Ambassador Mr. Téllez, Mr. Lamont, Mr. Negrete, Mr. Prieto and V. M. [Vernon Munroe] were present, Morrow Mss.

31 Memorandum of a conversation between Asst. Sec. Olds and the Mexican Ambassador (Téllez), 1 April 1927, SD 711.12/1084.

32 Memorandum from Martin Egan to Lamont, 9 May 1927, Lamont Mss.

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34 ‘Address Delivered by President Coolidge at the Dinner of the United Press Association at New York, 25 April 1927’, Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1927 (3 vols.: Washington, D.C., 1942), III, 209–221.Google Scholar For the reply of Calles see ibid., 221–5.

35 Morrow, to Coolidge, , 4 02 1927Google Scholar, Morrow Mss. Calles had suggested arbitration in January, Meyer, México y Estados Unidos en el Conflicto Petrolero, p. 172.Google Scholar

36 Christian Science Monitor, 31 03 1928.Google Scholar

37 Lippmann, Walter, ‘Mexico Keeps a Bridge Open to the Cubans’, The Evening Bulletin (Providence, R.I.), 22 03 1966.Google Scholar Letter, Walter Lippmann to author, 28 March 1966; Lippmann noted that Morrow did not make written records of his talks with the President.

38 Chandler P. Anderson Diaries, entries of 3 and 15 Feb. 1927, Chandler P. Anderson Papers, Library of Congress (Manuscript Division).

39 ibid., entry of 29 April 1927. Walker, Harold to Clark, Edward T., 27 01 1927, Clark Mss.Google Scholar

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43 Morrow believed that Calles' increased political strength during the last half of 1927 was of particular importance: Morrow, to Rublee, George, 2 02 1928Google Scholar, ibid.Meyer, , México y Estados Unidos en el Conflicto Petrolero, pp. 178, 186.Google ScholarRoss, Stanley Robert, ‘Dwight Morrow and the Mexican Revolution’, Hispanic American Historical Review, 38 (11 1958), 524, 526.Google ScholarDulles, , Yesterday in Mexico, p. 294.Google Scholar

44 Morrow, to Lamont, , 7 11 1927, Morrow Mss.Google Scholar

43 Lamont, to Morrow, , 22 11 1927, Lamont Mss.Google ScholarMunroe, Vernon to Morrow, , 6 01 1928Google Scholar, ibid.

46 Morrow, to Olds, , 3 01 1928Google Scholar, ibid.

47 Memorandum for Mr. T. W. Lamont (by Vernon Munroe), 13 Dec. 1927, ibid.Munroe, to Morrow, , 6 01 1928, Morrow Mss.Google Scholar

48 Munroe, to Morrow, , 6 01 1928Google Scholar, ibid.Anderson, Arthur M. to Morrow, , 15 02 1928Google Scholar, ibid. Memorandum for Mr. Anderson by Vernon Munroe, 18 Jan. 1928, Lamont Mss. General Pierce seemed to hope that the bankers would ‘do something through Morrow to pull the wires’ for changes in the new regulations.

49 Morrow, to Rublee, , 2 02 1928, Morrow Mss.Google Scholar

50 Person, Harlow S., Mexican Oil: Symbol of Recent Trends in International Relations (New York, 1942), pp. 46–7.Google ScholarMorrow, to Olds, , 27 04 1928, Morrow Mss.Google Scholar

51 McMahon, W. E. to Pratt, Richardson, 11 01 1928Google Scholar, ibid., (both of Standard Oil of N.J.): McMahon urged acceptance of the new law because he had become convinced that cooperation with Morrow was the only way the oil companies could achieve any satisfactory solution. The oil executives realized how little support they enjoyed in the U.S. (especially in the press), and they knew that Morrow had become something of a national hero. Perhaps that is the reason they promulgated the rumor that Morrow was encouraging or supporting higher taxes on the oil companies in order to obtain funds for the bankers (especially Morgan & Co.): Memorandum by W. R. C. [William R. Castle, Jr., Assistant Secretary], 11 April 1929, SD 812.51/1496.

52 Morrow, to Rublee, , 2 02 1928Google Scholar, Morrow Mss. Morrow, to Sheffield, James R., 2 04 1928, Sheffield Mss.Google Scholar

53 Lamont, to Morgan, J. P., 16 01 1928Google Scholar, Lamont Mss.

54 Morrow, to Sheffield, , 2 04 1928Google Scholar, Sheffield Mss. Morrow, to Lamont, , 29 11 1928Google Scholar, Morrow Mss. Memorandum for Mr. Cotton [by Morrow], 1 Oct. 1929, SD 812.51/1520.

55 Morrow, to Lamont, , 29 11 1928, Morrow Mss.Google Scholar

56 Kellogg, to Coolidge, , 10 07 1928Google Scholar, Frank B. Kellogg Papers (Minnesota Historical Society Library); Morrow, to Secretary of State, 9 11 1928Google Scholar, Morrow Mss; Lamont, to Anderson, Arthur M., 31 05 1929Google Scholar, Lamont Mss; Memorandum of an informal conference at the State Department between representatives of J. P. Morgan & Co. and officials of the State Department, 2 Oct. 1929, ibid.; Memorandum of a telephone conversation between Thomas Lamont and Undersecretary Cotton, 18 Oct. 1929, SD 812.51/1529.

57 Lamont to Vivian Smith and J. R. Carter, n.d. (internal evidence indicates Nov. 1928), Lamont Mss. Lamont was informed that a member of the House of Commons had intended to raise the issue of Mexican bonds, but had decided not to when informed that Lamont was ‘doing everything possible’ to induce the Mexican government to make a settlement …’ C. F. Whigham to Lamont, 16 Feb. 1929, ibid.

58 Morrow, to Lamont, , 3 01 1928, Morrow MssGoogle Scholar; Morrow, to Lamont, , 29 11 1928Google Scholar, ibid.; Memorandum of telephone conversation with Thomas W. Lamont, N.Y. [by Joseph P. Cotton], 18 Oct. 1929, SD 812.51/1529; Lamont, to Anderson, Arthur M., 31 05 1929Google Scholar, Lamont Mss; Lamont, to Morrow, , 24 07 1930Google Scholar, ibid.

59 Department of State to Morrow, , 27 03 1929, Morrow Mss.Google Scholar

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61 Memorandum of telephone conversation with Thomas W. Lamont, N.Y. [by Joseph P. Cotton], 18 Oct. 1929, SD 812.51/1529; Memorandum of meeting with representatives of the International Committee of Bankers on Mexico, 2 Oct. 1929. SD 812.51/1531; Morrow, to McBride, , 30 08 1929Google Scholar, Morrow Mss; Morrow, to Rublee, , 11 10 1929Google Scholar, ibid.; Morrow, to Cotton, , 8 11 1929, SD 812.51/1533.Google Scholar

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65 Lamont, to Morrow, , 24 07 1930Google Scholar, Lamont Mss; Lamont, to Carter, J. Ridgely, 22 08 1930Google Scholar, ibid.; Morrow, to McBride, , 10 02 1930Google Scholar, Morrow Mss; Embassy officials hoped to use bondholder pressure on the Mexican government to help expedite a general settlement, McBride, to Morrow, , 14 03 1930Google Scholar, ibid.

66 Memorandum for T. W. Lamont from V. Munroe, 20 Aug. 1930, Lamont Mss; Pani, , Tres Monografías, pp. 128–44Google Scholar; Zorrilla, Luis G., Historia de las Relaciones entre México y los Estados Unidos de America, 1800–1958 (2 vols.: México, D.F., 1966), 11, 423–4.Google Scholar

67 Nicholson, Harold, Dwight Morrow (New York, 1935), pp. 382–3Google Scholar; Interview with Richard B. Scandrett, Jr. (Cornwall, N.Y.), 1 Jan. 1966.

68 Lane, to Cotton, , 16 08 1930Google Scholar; Lane Mss (this letter was not sent); Memorandum for Morrow [by Arthur H. Springer] of a telephone call from Arthur Bliss Lane, 7 June 1930, Morrow Mss; Scandrett Interview.

69 Lamont, to Carter, J. Ridgely, 22 08 1930, Lamont MssGoogle Scholar; Lamont, to de Oca, Montes, 4 09 1930Google Scholar, ibid.; Memorandum for Arthur M. Anderson from Thomas Lamont, 4 Dec. 1930, ibid.

70 Memorandum for Lamont from V. Munroe, 29 Nov. 1930, ibid. Memorandum of conversation with J. P. C. [Joseph P. Cotton] at Mt. Kisco, 30 July 1930 (by V. Munroe), ibid.; Munroe, to Lamont, , 28 07 1930Google Scholar, ibid.; Lamont, to Cotton, , 25 09 1930Google Scholar, ibid. (‘Confidential’ to ‘Dear Joe’); Stimson, Henry L. to Lamont, , 6 10 1930Google Scholar, SD 812.51/1640. On 28 July 1929 George Rublee told Morrow, ‘About Mexico, Joe [Cotton] said that neither he nor Stimson would specially concern themselves. They were going to leave you to do whatever you thought best and wished only to be kept informed …’ Morrow Mss.

71 McBride, to Morrow, , 22 12 1930Google Scholar, ibid.; Lane, to Springer, Arthur H., 14 08 1931Google Scholar, ibid. (‘August, 1931, is at hand and we are fishing in troubled waters!!!’), Nicholson, Dwight Morrow, pp. 394–5.

72 Lamont, to Welles, Sumner, 21 10 1942, Lamont Mss.Google Scholar

73 Captain McBride wrote about these pressures in late 1930; McBride, to Morrow, , 22 12 1930Google Scholar, Morrow Mss. Lamont and his colleagues held a very low opinion of Ambassador Josephus Daniels, Lamont to B. S. Carter, 5 Aug. 1937, Lamont Mss; Vernon Munroe to Lamont, 14 June 1947, ibid.