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Rh and the relations of Mexico with other states, particularly its neighbors.

No state in our day lives unto itself alone. It must be in touch with the outside world and especially with the nations upon which it borders. It is for this reason that the relations of the United States to Mexico have become so important and are sure in the future to be of even greater moment. What affects one cannot fail to affect the other. Already the more obvious of international relationships between the two are emphasized in an unusual degree. American investments in Mexico far exceed those of any other foreign country. The foreign trade of Mexico with the United States is more important for Mexico than that with all the rest of the world combined, a condition which the developments during the World War have accentuated. The foreign relations of the two countries have an intimate connection—neither can feel itself safe without the friendship of the other. Failure to realize their political unity of interest might endanger the foreign policy which the United States has for a century defended, to assure the free development of all the American republics.

No single volume can give a detailed picture of such complex elements as those cited in the preceding paragraphs. It may, however, help to indicate the various factors that must be taken into consideration by the individual and by the state of which he forms a part in arriving at a judgment of what may fairly be expected of a government working under such conditions as will confront Mexico during its trying period of reconstruction. It is hoped that this book may assist its readers in forming such a judgment and may stimulate them to further study of the problems which it outlines. How important an intelligent understanding of these problems is for both Mexico and the United States is realized by only a small portion of the peoples of the two republics.

The materials used in the preparation of this book have been largely the official publications of Mexico and of the United States. These have been supplemented by the studies made by