338.6253/2
The Minister in Haiti (Bailly-Blanchard) to the Secretary of
State
Port au
Prince, August 7,
1920.
[Received September 14.]
No. 402
Sir: Referring to this Legation’s radio No. 41
of July 22 [25], 9 A.M.62 and in compliance with the
Department’s cable instruction No. 54 of July 29, 6 P.M.,62 I have the honor to forward
herewith copy of the project of law62 on the organization in Haiti of the “Office of
Compensation” provided for by Section III, Part X of the Treaty of Peace
signed at Versailles on the 28th of June 1919, which was submitted to
this Legation by the Haitian Government in accordance with the agreement
of August 24, 1918,63 and which, after careful examination, was
returned to the Foreign Office with the approval of the Legation.
Subsequently, under date of July 17, the Minister of Foreign Affairs
informed the Legation that the Council of State had passed the above law
but had added two new articles thereto, copies of which are herewith
enclosed.
These two articles not appearing to this Legation to be in accordance
with the provisions of the Treaty of Peace, I requested that the law be
not promulgated pending receipt of instructions from the Department in
the premises.
I enclose copies of the correspondence on the subject exchanged between
the Legation and the Foreign Office.62
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure—Translation:64]
Articles 14 and 15 of the Project of Law for the
Establishment of a Clearing Office
- Article 14. Since the Clearing
Office is to pass only upon individual debts standing between
Germans and Allied nationals settled in Haiti, the owners of
property in custody shall immediately be reinstated in
possession of their property or paid the proceeds of the
liquidations already effected as soon as—
- (1)
- The expenditures of the Public Treasury for the
internment of former enemies shall have been
repaid;
- (2)
- The debts chargeable to them under article 296 and its
annexes, and article 297, 2d paragraph of section (b), and 4th paragraph of section
(h), of the Treaty of Peace
shall have been settled.
- Article 15. Owners of property in
custody who may desire to resume business in Haiti shall be
afforded every facility to do so by conforming to the laws of
the country.
The Haitian Government, however, will use every means of public order
at its disposal to recover from them the quota charged to them by
the Clearing Office on the amount of damages due from the German
Government to Haitians as provided by sections (1), (2), and (3) of
annex I to article 232 of the Treaty of Peace.
Those who may wish to leave the country shall not be permitted to
avail themselves of the provisions contained in article 297,
paragraph 4 of section (h), except after full
settlement of their personal debt and the share on the amount of
claims preferred against Germany by Haitian citizens that shall have
been charged against them by the Clearing Office or Reparation
Commission.
