File No. 437.00/48.
[Untitled]
No. 655.]
American Legation,
Habana, March 18, 1913.
Habana, March 18, 1913.
Sir: Referring to my despatch No. 654 of the 15th instant [etc.], I have the honor to report that at yesterday’s session of the House the bill of the Committee on Foreign Affairs was approved and now goes to the Senate for action.
The text of this bill is as follows:
- Article 1. The President of the Republic may enter into an agreement of arbitration with the accredited representatives of the Governments of Germany, England and France, for the purpose of determining whether the Republic of Cuba may be held responsible for damages to property of subjects of those nations alleged to have been caused by the revolutionary forces during the war of 1895–98.
- Article 2. In the event that the tribunal of arbitration shall decide against the contention of the Republic of Cuba that the Republic is in no wise liable for the aforesaid damages, the President of the Republic is hereby authorized to enter into an agreement with the Governments of Germany, England and France for the formation of a commission to consider and pass upon claims filed in due time and form by subjects of those nations; the findings of which commission shall be duly submitted to the consideration and approval of the Congress of the Republic in conformity with the terms of the first transitory provision of the Constitution.
I have [etc.]
A. M. Beaupré.