681.003/67

The Secretary of State to the Diplomatic Agent and Consul General at Tangier (Blake)

No. 811

Sir: The receipt is acknowledged of your despatches No. 943 of May 31, 1934, regarding the Dahir of March 31, 1934, imposing consumption taxes on imported wheat and flour; No. 948 of June 7, 1934, regarding legislation concerning “Gate Taxes” in the French Zone of Morocco, derogatory to the Treaties; and No. 952 of June 15, 1934,13 regarding French testimony to the value of the maintenance by Great Britain and by the United States of their extraterritorial jurisdiction in Morocco. Reference is also made to your No. 944 of June 1, 1934,12 regarding the modus vivendi between the American Legation [Page 844] at Tangier and the Spanish authorities at Tetuan, Further reference is also made to your No. 923 of March 8, 1934, relating to increase in Moroccan customs tariffs and to other despatches received from Tangier during recent months in which it has been averred that our treaty rights in both the French and Spanish zones of Morocco have been repeatedly violated.

The Department is desirous of obtaining a complete résumé regarding the violations in question for further consideration and possible submission to the Governments of France and Spain, and to this end you are requested to compile and submit to the Department at your earliest convenience a summary of these violations with data in each case, indicating the date of the decree, the effect of the decree, whether or not protests were filed by the American Agency as well as by the agencies of other countries adversely affected, the dates of the filing of such protests, and the substance of the replies thereto and action thereon by the authorities of the French and Spanish Protectorates. Any other information relating to these violations of American treaty rights which you deem pertinent should be included in the summary in digest form. The Department is cognizant of the fact that you have been diligent in supplying it with detailed information regarding the various decrees affecting American treaty rights in Morocco. As indicated heretofore it desires further assistance in the preparation of a digest or brief of this information.

With regard to the request in your No. 944 regarding the breaking down of the modus vivendi between the American Legation and the authorities of the Spanish zone, this matter is receiving the attention of the Department and you will be advised further in the premises.

Very truly yours,

For the Secretary of State:
R. Walton Moore
  1. No. 952 not printed.
  2. Not printed.