763.72113/2775
The Ambassador in France (Bullitt) to the Secretary of
State
No. 2644
Paris, July 20, 1938.
[Received July
30.]
Sir: Referring to the Embassy’s telegram
No. 1127 of July 19, 1938,8 I have the honor to transmit herewith, in text
and translation, copies of the undated Note received from the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 18, 1938, setting forth the
position of the French Government on the terms and conditions of the
reciprocal arrangement for the return of property sequestrated
during the war, following its study of the observations of the
Government of the United States embodied in the Department’s
telegram No. 279 of May 13, 6 p.m., 1938.
As indicated in the last paragraph of the above mentioned Embassy
telegram, no acknowledgment is being made of this Note pending
receipt of the Department’s specific instructions.
Respectfully yours,
For the Ambassador:
H. Merle
Cochran
[Enclosure—Translation]
The French Minister for Foreign Affairs
(Bonnet) to the American
Ambassador (Bullitt)
Mr. Ambassador: I have the honor to
inform Your Excellency, in reply to your letter of May 17 last
concerning the restitution of property sequestrated during the
war, that my Department accepts the interpretation given by the
American Government to the two paragraphs reproduced in this
letter, it being understood that the said paragraphs cannot in
any case refer to:
- (1)
- The claims of natives of Alsace and Lorraine which
were the subject of paragraphs 4 and 5, page 7, of the
Note of the Office of Private Property and Interests
dated February 22, 1938.9
- (2)
- The claim of Paul Giraud (No. 43.828) or cases similar
to his: Securities seized by the American Authorities on
account of the residence of the owner or of the place of
deposit of the securities in French or Allied territory
occupied by the enemy.
On the other hand, without raising the question of restricting in
any way the scope of the principles set forth and accepted in
the preceding Notes, it is necessary to specify that:
- (1)
- if persons, natives of Alsace and Lorraine, on account
of measures taken in regard to them by the German
Government, are unable to furnish a certificate of
ownership, the American authorities will accept any
other sufficient proof establishing the rights of the
claimants, in the same way as the French Government did
for American citizens who were unable to furnish the
numbers of the securities claimed.
- (2)
- by analogy with what was agreed to as concerns
citizens of the United States who have acquired American
nationality before January 10, 1920, the American
authorities will accept as proof of the reintegration
into French nationality the attestation delivered by the
competent French authorities.
- (3)
- those claimants whose names follow, and which do not
appear on the list submitted by the Embassy of persons
susceptible of benefiting from the agreement, should be
included in this list, without, furthermore, this latter
having a limitative character:
- [Here follows list of claimants.]
Finally, in order to facilitate the application of the agreement,
and to permit the Office of Private Property and Interests to
obtain the execution of contracts which it concluded several
years ago with those interested, it appears indispensable that,
after proof of nationality and rights of ownership, each of the
two organisations which have charge of the restitution of
sequestrated property shall receive the dossiers, funds and
securities belonging to their nationals.
Under reserve of these observations, the French Government agrees
to the provisions envisaged, and the Office of Private Property
and Interests will proceed with the liberation of all sums
(principal, revenue and interest) belonging to American citizens
who satisfy the required conditions as soon as the Embassy
notifies the date upon which the arrangement may come into
force.
Please accept [etc.]
For the Minister:
Jules
Henry
