667n.113/3: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain (Kellogg)
Washington, December 17,
1924—4 p.m.
473. Your 516, December 11, 4 p.m.
- 1.
- This Government’s position regarding the indispensability of its assent to any dues or taxes to be imposed upon Americans in Palestine prior to the coming into effect of the Mandate Convention has not been changed by the signature of that convention. Meanwhile the Department would, however, be disposed to give favorable consideration to any reasonable request of the Mandatory Power that the United States assent to the collection of increased dues or taxes from Americans in Palestine as from the date of the communication of its assent to the British Government. A similar procedure was followed with respect to a contemplated increase of customs dues in Syria shortly after signature of the Syrian mandate convention between the United States and France.
- 2.
- Inasmuch as the capitulatory rights of the United States in Palestine will continue in force until the coming into effect of the mandate convention, this Government cannot recede from the position it has taken with reference to the Skora case and other cases involving the exercise of judicial functions by American Consuls. This Government relies upon the Mandatory Power to take appropriate measures to the end that judgments rendered against American [Page 203] citizens by Palestinian courts prior to the suspension of American capitulatory rights and in disregard of those rights shall not be enforced by the Palestinian authorities either before or after the coming into effect of the mandate convention.
Hughes