838.51/936
The Haitian Chargé (Blanchet) to the Secretary of State
Mr. Secretary of State: In compliance with instructions received, I have the honor to transmit to Your Excellency the following communication from the Secretary of State of Foreign Relations of Haiti:
“The Government of Haiti is constrained to complain of the Financial Adviser, who took upon himself to prevent a vote on the budget, by declaring that he would put off any examination of the [Page 768] budget until certain matters, without stating which, had been settled. Upon the Minister of Finance’s inquiry, the Financial Adviser let it be known that the main matter was the prohibition of gold importation into Haiti. The Government refuses to take such a measure, which would constitute a danger and might cause grave injury, and the British Legation protested against such a law in two communications. The Financial Adviser is supported in his attitude by the American Minister and the Chief of the Occupation, who called at the National Palace to demand that the Government pass a law prohibiting the importation of American gold, and moreover to demand the repeal of the law construing Article 5 of the Constitution,13 the non-publication of a law relative to the Compensation Bureau, which was passed in compliance with the Treaty, and also to demand the dismissal of the Cabinet.”
I beg [etc.]
- For text of Haitian Constitution, see Foreign Relations, 1918, p. 487.↩