810.5051/11–3044: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in Colombia (Daniels)

1331. Reference is made to previous correspondence concerning claims against the Rubber Development Corporation, U. S. Commercial Company and other agencies of this Government carrying on commercial business in Latin American countries. The Department considers that these matters should be settled out of court, if possible, and where this is not feasible that the agencies should submit to the jurisdiction of the courts as a matter of grace and rely upon the courts [Page 881] for the administration of justice;70 also that if the decisions of the courts should show a tendency toward unreasonableness, we may reconsider the matter in the light of developments. However this statement does not apply to the seizure of funds or other property of this Government.

Stettinius
  1. In a memorandum of October 24, 1944, the Legal Adviser characterized this policy as “a departure from the policy that we have heretofore followed.” (810.5051/10–2444)