Office of the Historian

811.114 St. Pierre-Miquelon/462: Telegram

The Ambassador in France (Bullitt) to the Secretary of State

Paris, February 17, 1937—1 p.m.
[Received February 17—10:15 a.m.]

226. Department’s 85, February 15, 4 p.m., last paragraph. The importation, production, distribution and sale of alcohol in France is so closely regulated in the interest of national defense and revenue as to amount to a monopoly although it does not legally go by that name. (See decrees on indirect taxes in Journal Officiel December 28, 1934, page 12857 and November 7, 1936 page 11622).

Under the proposed decree therefore nothing to prevent bulk alcohol originating in France or French possessions from being imported into St. Pierre and freely exported from there except the assurances of the Ministry of Colonies that importations into the islands will be restricted to actual consumption needs. The exportation of alcohol from France is controlled by bonding system (article 100 page 12864 [12863] Journal Officiel December 28, 1934) which should enable the Ministry of Colonies to restrict exportation to St. Pierre.

Bullitt