Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 56 Part 2.djvu/740

 1826 INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS OTHER THAN TREATIES [56 STAT. [Translation] DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN RELATIONS UNITED MEXICAN STATES MEXICO CITY 59430 MEXICO Crrr, November 18, 1942. MR. AMBASSADOR: In conformity with resolution II of the Third Consultative Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the American Republics held at Rio de Janeiro from January 15 to 28 of the present year, the Mexi- can Government has made every effort within its power to bring about the mobilization of the economic resources of the Republic, particu- larly with respect to the production of strategic materials necessary for the defense of the hemisphere. In this regard, I am pleased to inform Your Excellency that such production is being achieved at a constantly accelerated pace, for it is the firm intention of Mexico to unite its action with that of the United Nations so as to attain a de- finitive victory over the Axis powers. For this purpose agreements have been concluded through which Mexico furnishes to the United States its exportable surplus of a long list of essential products. I have the pleasure, likewise, of informing Your Excellency that Mexican economy has reacted favorably to the constantly increasing strain to which it has been subjected as a consequence of this increase in production and also that there are indications which permit the assumption that the materials which will be furnished in 1943 will exceed by far the quantities which have been made available during the current year. Unfortunately, Mexico's capacity to produce the articles which are so urgently needed is greater than the possibilities of the Mexican sys- tem of transportation to carry them from the mines, fields, or forests where they are extracted or produced to the places where they are ex- ported, manufactured, or consumed. The burden which is now being borne by the national railways sur- passes by far the maximum freight limit which it could reasonably have been expected that they would carry in time of peace. If the United Nations in general, and Mexico and the United States in particular, are to benefit to the maximum by our common effort, it will be necessary for prompt and effective measures to be taken in order that the national railways of Mexico may be in a position to transport a wartime load much larger in volume than that which they can move at present. In brief, the matter of transportation is today the real key to the Mexican-American program of joint production and economic co- operation in the prosecution of the war. In my opinion the best proof that the Government of the United States recognizes the basic importance of this question of transporta- tion is the careful attention which Your Excellency has personally given to it, as well as the attitude of your Government in sending to Mexico, at the suggestion of my Government, a mission of expert rail-

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