[Enclosure—Translation]
The Haitian Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs (Blanchet) to the American
Minister (Armour)
Port-au-Prince, January 30,
1933.
Mr. Minister: Desirous of reaching a
solution of the problems created by the liquidation of the Treaty of
1915 and convinced of the necessity of establishing Haitian-American
relations on a solid basis, in order to continue to practice toward
the United States at the end of the regime created by this Treaty a
policy of sincere and confident friendship, the Government of the
Republic affirms once more that it is disposed to reopen
negotiations in the most conciliatory spirit with the object of
reaching a satisfactory settlement of the questions which interest
the two Governments.
For the Government of the United States, these questions at present
consist in the adoption of an instrument fixing the forms of the
guarantees contemplated by the Protocol of 1919 and the loan
contract of 1922, to be in effect until the refunding or complete
retirement of that loan.
For the Haitian Government, they consist in opening the way to a new
policy of collaboration between the two countries in such a manner
that in their own best mutual interests, the projected arrangement
can provide, while maintaining the reestablished independence of
Haiti, for that tranquility and political stability indispensable to
the progress of our financial and economic development.
[Page 719]
The Government of the Republic believes that in order to provide for
this future of the country and to support it by the effective aid of
the Government of the United States during the unfortunate
conditions through which our country is passing, and in order that
the United States itself, by the confidence which it will inspire in
the Haitians, can strengthen and develop more and more the equitable
bonds with the Haitian Nation, the following plan might receive the
sympathy of the Department of State and testify to the best possible
good will of the two countries:
- I.
- Immediate approval of a loan of $400,000.00 granted by the
banks to the Haitian Government. This sum would permit us to
undertake, immediately after the first of next February at
the latest, certain important public works and notably the
irrigation of the Artibonite valley for the production of
bananas. The fruit companies would agree to purchase the
entire annual crop, under the prior condition that the
Haitian Government would carry out the irrigation
project.
- II.
- Submittal, by the Haitian Government to Your Excellency
after the first fortnight of February next, of a draft
comprising the modifications which might appropriately be
made in the Treaty of September 3, 1932, and which would
conciliate the respective views of the two high
parties.
- III.
- If the agreement of the American Government should not be
obtained to the modifications proposed by the Haitian
Government, the latter will be glad to seek in all fairness
and with the greatest good will the means of reaching an
arrangement equally profitable to the two high parties. With
this object it will also be glad to consider any
counter-proposition which might be made to it by the
American Government and to continue their joint efforts for
the conclusion of a new accord to be submitted to their
respective legislatures.
The Government of the Republic hopes that the Government of the
United States will, in the future, apply in its relations with Haiti
its new diplomacy, based on the psychology of peoples and which is
destined to produce such happy results.
The frank friendship of the Republic of Haiti, the maintenance of
peace within its territory, the stability of its government, the
development of its national resources through the aid and economic
assistance which the United States will be disposed to grant it,
constitute the best safeguard of their common interests.
The Haitian Government is absolutely confident that the American
Government will duly appreciate the spirit of conciliation,
frankness and friendship which has inspired this note. It is
furthermore confident that such a spirit constantly animating the
new negotiations will contribute to the rapid conclusion of the
arrangement envisaged.
Please accept [etc.]
