File No. 838.51/489
[Untitled]
Am paying salaries public employees by nonnegotiable, nontransferable checks. Injunction brought on bank in many cases attaching salaries. Law permits not more than one-third salary attached any month. If attachments allowed and but two-thirds salary paid employee system of discounting salaries will continue [Page 346] to flourish. Should attachments be not allowed, Government and judges say act would show United States had but little regard or respect for Haitian law and custom. Recommend that I be instructed to inform Government that as these attachments interfere with purpose of United States they will not be regarded and bank will be given military order to that effect. This matter of discounting salaries has been engaged in by comparatively few speculators. It is believed that this system would entirely stop if it became known that those who discount will not be aided by United States in collecting their claims. 22408.
3 Inclosure only printed. See letter from Admiral Caperton to the Secretary of the Navy, January 14, 1916, p. 341 ante.