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EL SALVADOR

BURGLARY AND ASSAULT COMMITTED AT THE SALVADORAN LEGATION ON MAY 13, 1931-Continued

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Page

Date and

number

1931 July 15

From the Salvadoran Second Secretary in Charge of Legation
Note from Salvadoran Foreign Minister, July 7 (text printed),
expressing gratitude for assurances in Secretary's note of June
18 and for courtesy of assumption of Dr. Leiva's expenses.

ETHIOPIA

216

PROPOSED REVISION OF BASIC TREATY GOVERNING ETHIOPIAN RELATIONS WITH FOREIGN POWERS

1931 Apr. 22 (156)

Apr. 23 (208)

To the Ambassador in France (tel.)

Department's views regarding reported intention of Ethiopia to denounce Franco-Ethiopian Treaty of 1908, which forms basis of extraterritorial rights in Ethiopia; instructions to discuss with Foreign Office possible action by French Government in event treaty is denounced. Instructions to repeat to Great Britain and Italy for similar consultation with Foreign Office. From the Ambassador in France (tel.)

217

Apr. 25 (121)

May 1 (68)

May 2 (708)

May 7 (8)

June 10 (No. J 1768/ 983/1)

218

Conversation with Foreign Office official, who said that France would make energetic protest in case the treaty is denounced.

From the Ambassador in Great Britain (tel.)

219

Foreign Office agreement with Department's views.

From the Ambassador in Italy (tel.)

219

Foreign Office agreement in general with Department's views; willingness to go along with action agreed upon by other powers.

220

From the Minister in Ethiopia

Report that diplomatic corps sent note invoking article 7, regarding extraterritorial jurisdiction, in protest against application to foreigners of municipal decree of October 22, 1930; information that U. S. Minister took no active part in question.

To the Minister in Ethiopia (tel.)

Opinion that new excise tax decree of March 30 is not viola-
tion of Franco-Ethiopian treaty, and instructions not to sup-
port further protest against it; approval of any action which
may be taken to liberalize article 3 of treaty, regarding cus-
toms matters.

From the British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the
American Chargé in Great Britain

Agreement with U. S. views regarding desirability of modi-
fication of article 3; suggestions for protection of extraterri-
torial rights.

220

221

June 17 (746)

From the Minister in Ethiopia

223

Information that other members of the diplomatic corps have now received instructions to discuss revision of articles 3 and 7, but that no action has yet been taken.

July 8

From the Second Secretary of the French Embassy
Memorandum (text printed) summarizing French viewpoint
regarding tariff and jurisdiction reforms to be established in
Ethiopia.

224

ETHIOPIA

PROPOSED REVISION OF BASIC TREATY GOVERNING ETHIOPIAN RELATIONS WITH FOREIGN POWERS-Continued

Date and

number

Subject

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1931

July 15 (197)

To the Minister in Ethiopia

225

Conclusion that municipal decree mentioned in despatch No. 708, May 2, contravenes provisions of article 7 of treaty, and instructions to join in protest of diplomatic corps.

July 20

To the Second Secretary of the French Embassy
Acknowledgment of memorandum of July 8.

226

July 28 (201)

To the Minister in Ethiopia

227

July 28 (875)

Authorization to join with colleagues of diplomatic corps
in discussing modifications of articles 3 and 7 of treaty.
To the Chargé in Great Britain

228

Instructions to inform Foreign Office that Department concurs in desirability of modifying treaty and has issued appropriate instructions to Minister in Ethiopia.

Aug. 1 (880)

To the Chargé in Great Britain

228

Request for information regarding new attitude which Great Britain is reported to have adopted in reference to proposed modifications of treaty.

Aug. 1 (776)

From the Minister in Ethiopia

229

Information that diplomatic corps intends to send note to Ethiopian Government protesting recent excise tax law; request for confirmation of original instructions not to protest, or for amended instructions.

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Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Near Eastern
Affairs

Conversation with Counselor of Italian Embassy concerning
U. S. attitude toward protest against recent Ethiopian tax
decree and possible denunciation of Franco-Ethiopian treaty.
To the Minister in Ethiopia (tel.)

Information that Department perceives no reason to alter
its previous instructions not to protest regarding Ethiopian
tax decree.

From the Minister in Ethiopia

Report concerning note of protest against excise tax law submitted to Ethiopian Government by British, French, and Italian representatives, and understanding that reply of an unsatisfactory nature has been received.

From the Minister in Ethiopia

Informal conversation with Emperor regarding negotiations for revision of articles 3 and 7 of Franco-Ethiopian treaty; decision of diplomatic corps to await action by Ethiopian Government.

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LACK OF JURISDICTION BY AMERICAN CONSULAR COURT IN ETHIOPIA OVER ALIENS IN BEHALF OF WHOM THE UNITED STATES EXTENDS ITS GOOD OFFICES

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Information regarding extraterritorial jurisdiction of U. S. consular officers in Ethiopia and lack of judicial authority over

certain non-nationals.

234

FRANCE

VISIT OF PIERRE LAVAL, PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH COUNCIL OF MINISTERS, TO THE UNITED STATES, OCTOBER 22-26, 1931

Date and

number

Subject

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1931 Sept. 19 (584)

From the Ambassador in France (tel.)

237

Information that newspaper reports favor an interview between Prime Minister Laval and President Hoover and suggest that Laval would be agreeable if invited.

Sept. 19 (455)

To the Ambassador in France (tel.)

238

Authorization to extend verbally to Laval President Hoover's invitation and his opinion that such a visit would be of value.

Sept. 21 (588)

From the Ambassador in France (tel.)

238

Sept. 21 (591)

Laval's request that any final decision on the proposed visit be withheld until he has conferred with President Doumer. From the Ambassador in France (tel.)

239

Sept. 24

President Doumer's approval of the visit, final decision to be made at Cabinet meeting. Laval's statement to the press (text printed) in appreciation of President Hoover's invitation; suggestion that the Department might now extend an official invitation to Laval.

Memorandum by the Secretary of State

Inquiry by the German Ambassador concerning Laval's proposed visit, and his expression of hope for progress in the coming conversations between Laval and the German Chancellor.

240

Sept. 24

Memorandum by the Secretary of State

240

Inquiry by the Italian Ambassador concerning Laval's proposed visit and its effect on disarmament.

Sept. 25 (599)

From the Ambassador in France (tel.)

241

Sept. 25 (600)

Conversation with the British Ambassador to France concerning his discussion with Laval of the latter's proposed visit to the United States and his review of the possibilities upon which he thought France might join in a real disarmament program.

From the Ambassador in France (tel.)

243

Sept. 26 (606)

Council of Ministers' approval of Laval's visit; delivery of the
invitation, with covering note to Briand (texts printed).
From the Ambassador in France (tel.)

243

Transmittal of Laval's formal acceptance of President
Hoover's invitation (text printed).

Oct.
(622)

1

From the Ambassador in France (tel.)

244

Conversation with the Minister of Finance, who unofficially brought up the questions of (1) elimination of Germany's conditional reparation payments, (2) security to France in return for armament limitation, and (3) U. S. action against a power violating the Kellogg-Briand Pact.

Memorandum by the Secretary of State

Conversation with the Bulgarian Minister, who remarked
as to the importance of Laval's visit and commented on the
European "hypnos" for reparations, expressing his hope for
U. S. help in clearing away the latter.

591381-46—VOL. II- -3

Oct.

1

247

FRANCE

VISIT OF PIERRE LAVAL, PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH COUNCIL OF MINISTERS, TO THE UNITED STATES, OCTOBER 22-26, 1931-Continued

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Subject

From the Ambassador in France (tel.)

Report on conversation with Laval in which Ambassador mentioned the desirability of Laval's going to the United States without limited or definite prospects in mind for his conversations with President Hoover.

From the Ambassador in France (tel.)

Transmittal of the principal points on intergovernmental debts, disarmament, reparations, and security, as published in Le Matin, allegedly proposed by Laval's experts for his use in Washington.

From the Ambassador in France (tel.)

Conversation with the Finance Minister regarding French action in the raid on the dollar and discussion of questions mentioned in the Embassy's telegram No. 622 of October 1; his hope that French and U. S. determination to maintain the gold standard would be announced.

Memorandum by the Under Secretary of State

Conversation with the British Ambassador, who conveyed the Foreign Secretary's hope for the success of Laval's visit. Joint Statement by President Hoover and Prime Minister Laval Indication of general agreement on world problems and on the importance of restoring economic stability, particularly monetary stability and the maintenance of the gold standard in France and the United States.

Memorandum by the Secretary of State

Conversation with the British Ambassador, who was informed that the Laval conversations were satisfactory except in regard to disarmament and the adjustment of political instability in Europe.

To the Ambassador in Great Britain (tel.)

Advice that President Hoover desires to settle the debt and reparations problems by direct negotiation with individual debtors rather than by a conference but is willing to consider a monetary conference.

Memorandum by the Secretary of State

Inquiry by the Netherlands Minister concerning the Laval negotiations on the consultative pact and reparations, and advice to him that the method of approaching the latter had been agreed upon.

Memorandum by the Secretary of State

Conversation with the French Ambassador in which he was informed that in the Laval conversations, the Secretary had made no suggestion of a four-power naval pact, but that the discussions had concerned the Franco-Italian negotiations.

From Senator David A. Reed

Inquiry as to the accuracy of a statement by Senator Borah that Laval had been assured of some readjustment of debts on the part of the United States, if France cancelled German reparations.

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FRANCE

VISIT OF PIERRE LAVAL, PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH COUNCIL OF MINISTERS, TO THE UNITED States, October 22–26, 1931—Continued

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Information that during the Laval conversations no assurances or commitments on debts or reparations were asked for or given by either side.

INFORMAL REPRESENTATIONS TO THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT WITH RESPECT TO DISCRIMINATORY RESTRICTIONS ON THE IMPORTATION OF NITRATES

1931 May 12 (200)

May 16 (261)

Sept. 5 (435)

Sept. 8 (667)

Sept. 15 (452)

To the Ambassador in France (tel.)

Information that the Barrett Co., a subsidiary of Allied
Chemicals, and recently exporters of nitrate of soda to France,
desire to continue their trade, but that a new French decree
permits such trade only under license. Instructions to express
hope for favorable consideration to the American company.
From the Ambassador in France (tel.)

Assurances of Minister of Agriculture to Acting Commercial
Attaché that there will be no discrimination.

To the Ambassador in France (tel.)

Instructions to investigate and make representations if
Barrett Co.'s allegations that French license and contemplated
tax discriminate against U. S. nitrates, as compared with
German and Chilean, are substantiated.

From the Ambassador in France (tel.)

Information that issuance of nitrate licenses will probably be by quotas of which a small contingent has been assured Barrett Co.; that tax is in view of lower Belgian prices on nitrates and appears not to favor Germany; opinion that further U. S. action should await a decision on terms for fixing contingents.

To the Ambassador in France (tel.)

Information from Barrett Co. that French corporation will distribute nitrate licenses on quota basis and will pass foreign contributions on to French nitrogen producers and agricultural interests. Desire for full report with a view to vigorous protest if method outlined is confirmed.

Sept. 17 (582)

From the Ambassador in France (tel.)

Sept. 22 (457)

Sept. 28 (616)

Advice that no decision on nitrate licenses has been reached, but that subsidizing of French producers with proceeds of customs duties is possible. Request for Department's attitude.

To the Ambassador in France (tel.)

U. S. Government's opinion that French policy on nitrates and other products is at variance with the spirit of international economic cooperation; that pressure for U. S. retaliation is likely. Instructions to make representations to French authorities.

From the Ambassador in France (tel.)

Information from Foreign Office that adoption of contributions plan is doubtful but that quotas, in emergency, are not unlikely; Foreign Office promise to obtain an increased quota for American interests, if possible.

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