365D.1163/132
The Ambassador in Italy (Phillips) to the Secretary of
State
No. 1285
Rome, February 7, 1939.
[Received
February 23.]
Sir: With reference to the Department’s
instruction No. 424 of January 20, 1939 (File No. 365D.1163/128)
regarding the expropriation by the Italian authorities of the
property of the Seventh Day Adventist Mission in Ethiopia, I have
the honor to inform the Department that the report promised by the
Foreign Office (see Embassy’s telegram No. 356 of December 1, 6
p.m., 19386) has now been received and a copy in
translation is enclosed.
It will be seen that the Ministry of Italian Africa states that the
representative on the spot of the Seventh Day Adventist Mission has
failed to respond to the invitation of the Colonial authorities to
discuss the proposed liquidation of the properties. It was explained
orally at the Foreign Office that the appointment of an authorized
agent to represent the Mission in discussions regarding the value of
properties to be expropriated would facilitate matters greatly and
that it might be possible to obtain a more satisfactory estimate of
their value if the said agent be authorized to cooperate with the
Colonial authorities in determining the valuation to be set.
Respectfully yours,
[Enclosure—Translation]
The Chief of the Office of Mediterranean and
Italian East African Affairs of the Italian Ministry for
Foreign Affairs (Guarnaschelli) to the Second Secretary of the American
Embassy (Reber)
203502/16
Rome, February 4, 1939.
Dear Mr. Reber: As I have already
verbally advised you, the Royal Ministry of Italian Africa,
which has been informed of the condition of matters concerning
the liquidation of the properties of the Seventh Day Adventist
Mission in Italian East Africa, has recently communicated that
Mr. Cupertino—to whom at the request of the Adventist Mission
permission to enter Italian East Africa was granted—has been
repeatedly invited by the competent Colonial authorities to
discuss the procedure of liquidation of the properties of the
Mission; but Cupertino has failed to do so.
Although the Government General of Italian East Africa wished to
get in touch with Cupertino in order to agree upon a settlement,
[Page 509]
it was forced in
the circumstances to propose to the Royal Ministry of Italian
Africa to proceed as follows:
- 1)
- With regard to the real properties of the Mission, to
issue a decree declaring that the buildings of the
Mission located in Addis Ababa near the hospital “Duca
degli Abruzzi” and those located in Addis Alem are of
public value, and to expropriate them for the use of the
sanitary organization of that Government General.
- 2)
- With regard to the Filoà Hospital (Addis Ababa),
administered by the Mission and therefore State
property, to issue a decree to assign such real
properties to the Institute “Adelia Clementi Graziani,”
paying the Adventist Mission an indemnity for the best
fixings of the building and the hospital
equipment.
- 3)
- With regard to the properties of the Mission located
in Galla and Sidam and in Amara, to follow the same
procedure of expropriation proposed in paragraph No. 1
with respect to real properties in Addis Ababa and Addis
Alem.
The Royal Ministry of Italian Africa authorized the said
procedure and consequently the Government General of Italian
East Africa on October 10 issued the decree of expropriation
attached hereto with regard to the buildings in Addis Ababa and
Addis Alem, and the decree, also attached, with regard to
assigning real properties of the Filoà Hospital to the Maternity
and Infants Institute “Adelia Clementi Graziani.” In connection
with the expropriation of real properties in Addis Ababa and in
Alem, the indemnities of 189,000 lire and 25,000 lire,
respectively, are fixed.
The Royal Ministry of Italian Africa adds that it will inquire of
the Government General of Italian East Africa whether there have
been any further developments in the negotiations with Mr.
Cupertino and reserves the possibility of communicating such
information as it may receive in this respect.
With best regards,
[Subenclosure 1—Translation]
Expropriation Decree of October 10, 1938,
Regarding Certain Properties of the Seventh-Day Adventist
Mission
In view of Articles 8 and 107 of the “Ordinamento Fondiario”
(Land Laws) for the Colony of Eritrea, approved by R. D. 7th of
February 1926, No. 269;
In view of Article 63 of the R. D. L. of the 1st of June,
1936–XIV, No. 1019, amended in the law of January 11, 1937–XV,
No. 285;
Recognizing the urgent necessity of providing for the
systematization of the hospitals of Addis Ababa, and for the
organization of the sanitary service at Addis Alem;
[Page 510]
Considering the opportuneness of declaring the public utility of
proceeding to the expropriation of all properties belonging to
the Union of Seventh-day Adventist Missions in the Cabana
sector, in the vicinity of the “Duca degli Abruzzi”, and the
buildings of the Union located at Addis Alem;
Whereas the report of the Commission is in harmony with Article
108 of the “Ordinamento Fondiario” for the Colony of
Eritrea;
In virtue of the powers conferred by Article 56 of the
above-mentioned R. D. L. No. 1019;
We Have Decreed And Decree:
Article 1
Are declared of public utility the properties belonging to the
Union of the Seventh-day Adventist Missions, situated in the
Cabana sector, adjacent to the Government Hospital “Duca degli
Abruzzi”, and in Addis Alem, as shown by the Cadaster
Office.
Article 2
Is ordered the expropriation of the above-mentioned properties in
favor of the Government of Addis Ababa.
Article 3
For said expropriation the Union of Adventist Missions will be
entitled to an indemnity in the proportion indicated in the
annexed list.7
Article 4
The right of petition is granted, with regards to the title of
the property and the amount of the indemnity, during a period of
15 days from the date of the publication of the present
decree.
Article 5
The Governor of Addis Ababa is commissioned to see that the
present decree, as well as the requirements of Article 62 of the
“Regolamento Fondiario” of Eritrea, and of any other
stipulations relating to this matter, are carried out.
Addis Ababa, the 10th of
October 1938–XVI.
Amedeo Di Savoia
Registered at the Court of Accounts, Delegation of Addis
Ababa, October 25, 1938–XVI.
Register No. 5, page 20.—Girotti.
[Page 511]
[Subenclosure 2—Translation]
Decree of October 10, 1938, Ordering the
Affiliation of the Filoà Maternity Hospital (Seventh Day Adventist Hospital) With the Maternity and Child Hospital “Adelia
Clementi Graziani”
Considering the urgent necessity of providing for the
systematization of the sanitary services of Addis Ababa;
Recognizing the opportuneness of affiliating the maternity
service with the “Ricovero Maternita ed Infanzia ‘Adelia
Clementi Graziani’”;
We Have Decreed And Decree:
Article 1
The buildings of the domanial property situated at Filoa and at
present used by the Maternity Hospital operated by the Union of
Seventh-day Adventist Missions are to be put at the disposal of
the Addis Ababa Government.
Article 2
The Mission will be expected to vacate the premises within a
month after the publication of the present decree.
Article 3
The management of the Maternity Hospital is to be turned over to
the Maternity and Child Hospital “Adelia Clementi Graziani”.
Article 4
A commission composed of a government functionary, an engineer of
the Office of Public Works, a physician of the Superior
Inspection of Health, will fix the amount of the indemnity
deserved by the Seventh-day Adventist Mission for the
improvements made in the domanial buildings mentioned above and
for the transfer of all medical and other equipment of the
Maternity Hospital.
Addis Ababa, the 10th of
October, 1938–XVI.
Amedeo di Savoia
Registered at the Court of Accounts, Delegation of Addis
Ababa, October 20, 1938–XVI.
Register No. 4, page 275.—Salerno.
