838.00/2961: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in Haiti (Munro)
31. Tour despatch No. 114, May 5, 1931. The Department has no objection to the use of the title “fiscal agent” for the official who will be appointed to collect pledged revenues.
You are authorized to recommend that all employees in the financial service, except the head of the service, and perhaps one or two other officials, shall be appointed in accordance with the procedure already agreed upon for the commissioning of employees in the customs service. This procedure will be incorporated in the Haitianization accord in the following paragraph:
“The President of Haiti will issue commissions to Haitian employees occupying positions of authority and trust in the Customs Service upon the recommendation of the Fiscal Agent. The form of these commissions will be agreed upon by the Minister of Finance and the Fiscal Agent. If the services of a commissioned employee should not be satisfactory or if his removal should be deemed necessary for other reasons, the Fiscal Agent will terminate his services and will at the same time recommend such action as he considers advisable regarding his replacement, making a temporary appointment if necessary until a new commission is issued.”
In connection with the number of American officials to be provided for in the Financial Service, the Department is inclined to question the wisdom of limiting this number to a fiscal agent and deputy fiscal agent. If this number is fixed in a convention it will be difficult to increase it later should it be necessary. There appear to be about 14 ports of entry outside of Port au Prince and if such ports should be entirely manned by Haitians, might not the result prove unfortunate? Also may it not be found necessary to use American officials for auditing or inspection duties or for work in connection with the Internal [Page 469] Revenue System? Please let the Department have your views on this question.
The Department perceives no objection to incorporating a statement in the new convention to the effect that the convention will become null and void upon retirement of all bonds issued under the provisions of the protocol of 1919.
The Department agrees that in discussing the text of the proposed convention many points of minor importance will arise upon which it will be advisable to meet the wishes of the Haitian Government and you are authorized to accept such minor changes if they do not materially affect the essential provisions of the convention.