File No. 838.00/1485
Chargé Mayer to the
Secretary of State
No. 167
American Legation,
Port au Prince
,
September 7, 1917
.
Sir: I have the honor to forward herewith copy
of a memorandum entitled: Relations between treaty officials of the
Haitian Government, handed to me this day by Rear Admiral H. G. Knapp,
to the effect that the Admiral considers such an expression a part of
his official duty; that a great experiment is being carried on by the
United States in reference to Haiti whose success is dependent in a very
large degree upon the complete harmony and cooperation among the
different Americans connected with the experiment. Further, the Admiral
enjoins upon the United States naval officers who are treaty officials
of the Haitian Government, such cooperation, and a full understanding
that in independent organizations “orders from persons in one cannot
properly be given directly to those of another”; that the heads of the
gendarmerie, the engineer service, and the service of the sanitary
engineer should, and he expected would, cooperate heartily with the
other American treaty officials in Haiti and with the Legation and the
officers of the occupation. Finally, the Admiral concluded his
memorandum by stating that the juniors of the several organizations
presided over by officers of the United States naval service should be
instructed in the sense of this memorandum and held to a strict
observance of its principles.
I have [etc.]
[Inclosure—Memorandum]
relations between treaty officials of the
haitian government
- 1.
- In connection with my responsibilities as the military
representative of the United States in Haiti, I consider it a
duty to express my views of the relations that should exist
between the treaty officials who are in the service of the
Government of Haiti and are, at the same time, members of the
naval service of the United States, and also those that should
exist between them and the other Americans here in official
positions.
- 2.
- The United States is carrying on in Haiti a great experiment,
the success of which is a matter of national importance to the
United States and, so far as the naval service is concerned, of
service pride. It is, of course, a further matter of doing the
greatest possible work for Haiti. Nothing avoidable should be
allowed to stand in the way of complete success. The thing that
will make for success in a higher degree than anything else is
complete harmony and team work [Page 811] between all Americans who are in any way
connected with the experiment. On the other hand, no worse thing
could happen than to have the Haitians get the idea that there
is any lack of complete harmony among Americans who are
officially here.
- 3.
- While I feel sure that there is no dissent from these
observations on the part of anybody concerned, I yet consider
that, in view of the fact that I am not permanently here in the
exercise of the functions which have been assigned to me by the
Department, I should give clear expression to the rules that
should govern officers to whom the authority applies that vests
in my official position. I, therefore, enjoin upon the officers
of the naval service who are treaty officials of the Haitian
Government the heartiest cooperation and team work, without
which success is impossible. The activities of the gendarmerie,
the engineer service, and the service of the sanitary engineer
are bound to overlap at times. On the other hand, each can often
be of great usefulness to the others. Cheerful cooperation under
such circumstances, lending the helping hand wherever possible,
and respect of each service for the position and rights of the
others, will be expected.
- 4.
- I need not add to the officers in the naval service that, in
independent organizations, orders from persons in one can not
properly be given directly to those of another, but the desired
action should be brought about by an arrangement with the head
of the other, or with his duly qualified junior, by which means
the necessary orders can emanate from proper authority.
- 5.
- The heads of the three organizations mentioned above should,
and I am sure will, work to the same end of hearty cooperation
with the other American treaty officials in Haiti, and with the
Legation and the officers of the occupation.
- 6.
- It is especially important that the juniors of the several
organizations presided over by officers of the United States
naval service should be instructed in the sense of this
memorandum, and be held to a strict observance of its
principles. Not all such juniors will have had the advantage of
a military training; and some who have had such training in
subordinate grades may not have a full appreciation of the
courtesies that should obtain in official intercourse.
