Office of the Historian

811.114 St. Pierre-Miquelon/465: Telegram

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

Paris, February 18, 1937—6 p.m.
[Received February 18—3:10 p.m.]

238. Referring to Department’s telegram No. 85, February 15, 4 p.m. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs now expresses the willingness to issue four decrees on this subject: 1, abrogating the present bonding system except as concerns alcohol and alcoholic beverages of whatever origin now in stock in St. Pierre-Miquelon; 2, prohibiting the importation of all alcohol and alcoholic beverages of foreign origin, no derogations being permitted; 3, prohibition of the manufacture of alcohol in the islands and; 4, prohibition of the importation of all “alcool de traite” of whatever origin into the islands. Foreign Office now says that “alcool de traite” includes all alcohol and alcoholic beverages other than those entitled to an “appellation d’origine” or having a trade name.

If the American Government finds that there has been a revival smuggling under the new regime the Foreign Office and the Ministry of Colonies have both agreed that the decree of April 9, 1935 will be reenacted and written assurances to that effect will be given.

The Foreign Office in this connection requests that the Department again give consideration to the French Ambassador’s proposals of 193539 that the United States Lines be induced to arrange cruises to St. Pierre-Miquelon.

Bullitt
  1. See note of March 15, 1935, from the French Embassy, Foreign Relations, 1935, vol. i, p. 412.↩