This third volume of Isidro Fabela’s documentary series related to the Constitutionalist Revolution and Regime is perhaps the most valuable yet published because of the author’s relationship to the subject treated and because of the pertinent material at his disposal. Lic. Fabela is concerned with the foreign relations growing out of the occupation of Veracruz by American troops.

The author, who was entrusted with the foreign relations portfolio for Carranza’s Constitutionalists, focuses attention on the ABC mediation and the reaction of the contending factions. His avowed objectives are to relate the background and events of the Niagara Falls Conference, to analyze the juridical problems related to “good offices, mediation and intervention” posed by the activities of representatives of the ABC powers, and to reveal the conduct of Carranza, Huerta, Wilson and their representatives.

The main body of the volume consists of one hundred and two documents, chronologically arranged, dating from the April, 1914, invasion of Veracruz through the October, 1915, recognition of Carranza’s regime as the de facto government of Mexico. The overwhelming majority of the documents are drawn from the author’s own archives and that of the Secretary of Foreign Relations, although there are fourteen selections based on newspaper clippings in the “Ramo Revolución” of the Archivo General de la Nación. As in the previous volumes, each document is preceded by a summarizing paragraph and identification of archival source and is followed by a commentary in which the editor not only analyzes the document, but also often refers to other documentary and published materials. The commentary for the final document includes Fabela’s transcription of Cándido Aguilar’s deathbed account of the incident of the Zimmerman note. This is followed by an appendix consisting of ten selections from published sources and forty-one marginal notes consisting of extracts from books on various incidents, events and personalities.

As might be anticipated, Lic. Fabela views the events treated as a diplomatic triumph for Carranza and for the principles of Mexican foreign policy. Carranza’s position viz-a-viz the ABC and Woodrow Wilson is viewed as an example of nationalist dignity which honors the First Chief of the Constitutionalist movement. “The governmental attitude of Sr. Carranza in the cases of the ABC . . . was consistently unyielding and patriotic in the juridical area by the emphasizing and defending before all the world powers the attributes of sovereignty which are fundamental for the existence of an independent State.” Thus, Fabela’s interpretations and conclusions in this volume form another link in his continuing effort to glorify Carranza and the so-called “Carranza Doctrine” in Mexican foreign policy.

Despite this obvious tendency to laud and defend Carranza while attacking and criticizing all other elements, the documentary materials as well as Fabela’s analysis of them should prove extremely useful to historians studying the events in question. Students of international jurisprudence will find Fabela’s view of good offices, mediation and intervention, both in theory and in the specific situation in question, provocative.