838.51/2519: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Haiti (Heath)
62. Your 110, September 21, 11 a.m. Please communicate the following textually to the Minister for Foreign Affairs:28
“The Treaty signed at Port au Prince on September 3, 1932, represents, in the view of the United States Government, the logical culmination of the recommendations of the Forbes Commission. Under this Treaty, if ratified, the United States agrees to turn over the complete command of the Garde to Haiti by December 31, 1934, instead of in May, 1936, as would be the case under the Treaty of 1915; to withdraw the Marine Brigade, beginning such withdrawal not later than December 31, 1934; and to turn over to Haitian [Page 683] control on December 31, 1934, the Internal Revenue Service. Furthermore, the United States agrees specifically to limit and define the powers of financial administration arising from existing agreements which obligate both Governments. The powers of the fiscal representative under Protocol B of the new Treaty are substantially less than those conferred on the Financial Adviser General Receiver under the Treaty of 1915.
The United States Government is prepared to carry out the foregoing, but it is obvious that the whole program hangs together and should be carried out accordingly and not piecemeal. The United States, therefore, is not disposed to discuss the withdrawal of the Marine Brigade, or the complete Haitianization of the Garde in advance of the date of the expiration of the Treaty of 1915, except in connection with a definite settlement of all the questions at issue.
This Government has noted with interest President Vincent’s forceful statement of September 16, 1932, regarding the negotiation of the new Treaty. It is of course clear that in negotiating this Treaty freedom of action of both Governments was necessarily limited by the existence of definite obligations subscribed to by previous Governments in Haiti and the United States which must be respected and carried out. This Government feels that Protocol B of the new Treaty, relating to financial administration, contains the maximum concessions to the point of view of the Haitian Government, considering the obligations of existing agreements assumed by both Governments.[”]
- Addressed to the Haitian Minister for Foreign Affairs in note dated September 23, 1932.↩