881.20/2
The Secretary of State to the Diplomatic Agent and Consul General at Tangier ( Blake )
Sir: The Department has received and considered your despatch No. 656 of October 26, 1931, with regard to the Dahirs and regulations [Page 750] governing military requisitions of automobiles, animals and animal drawn vehicles. The Department concurs with the conclusions reached by you as reported in your despatch. While the Department is always glad to give sympathetic consideration to reasonable decrees and regulations for which consent is requested it cannot agree to the subjection of American ressortissants to the broad powers conferred by the Dahirs and regulations in question upon the appropriate protectorate authorities. The powers appear to be too easily subjected to abuse and, so far as the Department can see, the Dahirs and regulations would subject American ressortissants to unnecessary interference. In informing the Resident General at Rabat of the Department’s regret at being unable to agree to the application of these Dahirs and regulations to American ressortissants you should incorporate in your note, in accordance with the suggestion made in your despatch, a statement to the effect that in the event an exceptional situation should arise the Department will be glad to give consideration to measures necessary for the period of disturbance.
Very truly yours,