File No. 600.001/112
Agreement of June 9, 1917, between France, Great Britain, Italy, and the United States, Relative to Silks and Silk Goods1
The Delegates of the American, British, French and Italian Governments met together in Paris, in order to put an end to the [Page 1170] exportation via Switzerland of silks and silk goods destined for the enemy Empires, have, at the termination of the conferences held June 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, 1917, recommended to their Governments the following resolutions:
I. The Allied Governments will prohibit the exportation of articles comprised in the general designation of silks and silk goods that are not now affected by any measure of this sort, which is notably the case as regards worked or thrown silks, including tussore silks.
This prohibition does not apply to shipments from Allied countries to Allied countries, nor to exports destined for Spain and neutral transatlantic states for which a general exception is granted. It will apply only to neutral countries bordering upon enemy states or situated in the north of Europe.
This prohibition will take effect on and after June 25, 1917.
II. The prohibition of the exportation of thrown and reeled silks being liable to work injury to the principal export trade of Italy, the contracting Governments adopt the system suggested jointly by the French and Italian Ministers of Commerce and Industry which consists in fixing for such silks a minimum price, upon the basis of which, pending the duration of the prohibitive measures, an inter-Allied purchasing bureau would become the buyer of these goods, thus preventing a decline in the quotation below this limit.
This operation would be conducted at the expense and risk of France, America and Great Britain, the necessary advances of funds being shared equally among these three states, as well as any possible losses when the silk is resold. In case of any profit, one-fourth each of the total amount will be allotted to France, Great Britain and America, the last fourth being reserved for Italy, this distribution being justified in view of the sacrifices accepted by Italy and in spite of the fact that she takes no part in the advance of funds nor in possible losses.
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XII. Pursuant to the foregoing measures, article 10, paragraph C, No. 2 of the interior regulations of the S.S.S. shall be revised.
The Allied Governments will endeavor to obtain from the Swiss Federal Government the following amendment to the present text:
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Done at Paris, in four originals, signed by the representatives of the four contracting Governments.
- Received June 28 with Ambassador Sharp’s despatch No. 5543 of June 15, which is not printed.↩