File No. 838.111/149.
The American Minister to the Secretary of State.
Port au Prince , November 10, 1913 .
Sir: Referring to the Department’s despatch No. 5 of October 25, 1913, regarding the case of Daniel John I have the honor to report as follows:
Daniel John was naturalized an American citizen July 17, 1906. He arrived in Haiti July 24, 1906, and commenced business during the same year.
Upon reading over the correspondence of this Legation, I find that an agreement was entered into between this Legation and the Haitian Government whereby all American citizens of Syrian origin who were naturalized and in business in Haiti before the promulgation, in 1904, of the Syrian Exclusion Act of 1903, would be exempt from the provisions of the Act.
Subsequently the Haitian Government discovered that Mr. John did not come within the provisions of the agreement and so informed this Legation, which in turn advised Mr. John.
Mr. John then requested the Legation to procure for him a reasonable delay within which he could liquidate his business, and he finally said that he would be willing to retire from Haiti by October 31st if he were granted a license to that time. At the request of this Legation the Haitian Government agreed to this, provided Mr. John would put in writing that he would retire within the time stated. Mr. John furnished the necessary agreement copy of which is herewith enclosed.1 The Legation forwarded this agreement to the Haitian Government and the license was issued for the fiscal year ending October 31, 1913. Further reference to this will be found in my predecessor’s despatch2 to the Department No. 1280 of September 16, 1913. It will be noted also in this despatch that, on account of certain difficulties experienced by Mr. John since receiving his license, and his agreeing to liquidate by October 31, 1913, at the request of this Legation a further delay was granted for the liquidation, said delay to expire November 30, 1913.
Subsequently it appeared that the authorities at St. Marc had not been advised as to this last delay and Mr. John’s attention was called to the fact by the Communal Commission at St. Marc, that it was expected that he would close his establishment and leave the country by September 30, 1913. Mr. John made representation as to the matter to this Legation, and the attention of the Haitian Government was called to it under date of October 6, 1913. The Haitian Government replied under date of October 8, 1913, that the necessary instructions would be forwarded to the Communal Commission at St. Marc which would enable Mr. John to take advantage of the new delay which had been granted him. Mr. John was advised of this under date of October 9, 1913. Copies of this correspondence are herewith enclosed.1
Referring to the latter part of the Department’s instructions No. 5, regarding the enforcement of the law of 1903 with respect to Syrians [Page 588] of other nationalities, I have the honor to state that the law in question has been enforced without respect to person. As far as I can find out, at present there are no Syrians of any nationality in business in Haiti, with the exception of Mr. John, who arrived in Haiti subsequent to the promulgation of this law. The agreement with this Legation as to Americans of Syrian origin has been more respected than has been the case with the other nationalities. Dominicans of Syrian origin have been forced to leave Haiti notwithstanding their rights under the agreement. * * *
I have [etc.]