838.105/368: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Minister in Haiti (Munro)

36. Legation’s 49, June 1, 2 p.m. 1. You are authorized to withhold acquiescence in the compromise arrangement regarding the [Page 477] Colvin appointment until explicit assurances shall have been given that the treaty provisions governing the Garde will be respected, and to make that acquiescence conditional upon such assurances.

2. So inform President Vincent and say that while the Government of the United States, for the reasons cited in the Department’s telegram No. 34 of June 2, 1 p.m., was willing to facilitate the Haitianization discussions by a compromise agreement regarding the Colvin appointment, it cannot consent to further departures from the treaty arrangements now in effect between the two Governments.

3. Point out to the President that the provisions of Article 10 of the treaty, which govern the Garde, are mandatory upon the Haitian Government. Call to his attention the fact that the Haitianization program in so far as it affects the Garde provides for the rapid turning over of that organization to Haitian control and that this program constitutes the maximum which this Government will concede. State definitely that pending the completion of the program affecting the Garde the present arrangements relating to personnel must be observed.

Recall to President Vincent that this Government, in agreeing to undertake the Haitianization of the non-financial Treaty Services, made it clear that as regards the financial Services it would have to insist upon the maintenance intact of those Services as set up in the Treaty. One of the conditions on which Haiti obtained the outstanding loans was that law and order should be established and maintained in the Republic and the Garde was established for this specific purpose by Article X of the Treaty, and in Article V of the Treaty the importance of the constabulary to the security of the outstanding indebtedness is clearly set forth because in that Article the General Receiver is directed to apply all sums collected and received by him, after paying the expenses of the Receivership and the interest and sinking fund of the public debt, to the maintenance of the constabulary. Except to the extent you have already indicated to the Haitian Government, the constabulary must be maintained unimpaired and intact during the life of the bonds. This Government will insist on this.

4. You may also state to the President that this Government has earnestly endeavored to make unmistakably apparent to the Haitian Government and people its readiness and desire to carry out as quickly as may be practicable the recommendations of the President’s Commission to Haiti, and that in fact the instructions whereunder you are prepared to prosecute the Haitianization program make provision in some respects for the accomplishment of this program at a rate much in excess of that contemplated by the Commission. You may add that this Government has been surprised and disappointed by what appears to be a failure on the part of the Haitian Government to reciprocate [Page 478] this spirit, pointing out that every controversy which is provoked and every effort which is made to depart from clearly established treaty obligations must result only in delay and misunderstanding and make more difficult the final consummation of the Haitianization program.

5. You are directed to convey the substance of the foregoing to President Vincent firmly and courteously, making it unmistakably clear that the discussions of the Haitianization program must be confined within the limits of the obligations imposed by the Treaty of 1915.

Stimson