(2) The stabilization of Haitian finances. One of the chief causes of complaint of the Haitian Government, and indeed of the Haitian people, is the fact that although the Government of the United States undertook, by the Treaty of 1915, the obligation to assist the Government of Haiti in placing its finances on a stable basis, no improvement in the financial condition of the Government can yet be seen. It is apparent that one of the primary needs of the Haitian Government is the flotation of a loan which will make it possible to refund and consolidate the existing public debt, the result of which would be to secure for current expenditure income now pledged and segregated for the payment of amortization and interest on this debt; to provide for the payment of claims against the Haitian Government; and to secure funds for public works and improvements necessary to the development of the resources of the country. Upon various occasions negotiations have been entered into, without success, for the flotation of such a loan. The financial situation of the Haitian Government, which shows an ever increasing deficit, makes it of vital importance that the Haitian Government be enabled to secure a loan without delay. The establishment of Haitian finances on a sound basis will also require the devising of a method for providing internal revenue and the inauguration of an adequate system of audit and control of Haitian revenues in general. It is hoped that when these steps have been taken, the balance sheet of the Haitian Government will show a yearly margin of receipts over expenditures. Your recommendations to the Haitian Government on financial affairs should invariably have this end in view.

It has been suggested to this Government by the Government of Haiti that the offices of Financial Adviser and General Receiver of Haitian Customs, established by the Treaty of 1915, may well be consolidated in one office in order that the additional expense incurred by the Haitian Government in maintaining these two separate offices may be avoided. The Department views this recommendation of the Haitian Government with favor, but before reaching any definite decision in the matter desires your recommendations as to the desirability of this suggested change and as to the best manner in which such reorganization might be effected.

It is desired that prior to final approval of the yearly budget by the Haitian Government, the Financial Adviser of Haiti submit the budget and his recommendations to the High Commissioner. The latter will then determine, in consultation with the Financial Adviser, the general form which the expenditures of the Haitian Government should, in his opinion, take for the coming year. After a decision has been arrived at, the budget will be submitted by the Financial Adviser to the Haitian Government, and in the event that

the Haitian Government disagrees with the nature or amount of the appropriations provided in the budget, the budget will be once more submitted by the Financial Adviser to the High Commissioner in order that he may, if possible, reach an agreement thereon with the Haitian Government directly. In the event that agreement is even then found impossible, the matter in dispute will be referred to the Department of State for final adjustment in order that its decision may be officially communicated to the Haitian Government. It is understood that the greater part of the friction which has existed in the past between members of the Haitian Government and the United States Treaty officials in Haiti has been due to disputes over the provisions of the Budget and it is intended that the method of procedure outlined above will make possible an avoidance of such conditions in the future.

(3) Gradual withdrawal of the Forces of Occupation and enlargement and improvement of the Haitian gendarmerie. The United States Forces of Occupation in Haiti have brought about general tranquillity throughout the Republic by preventing a continuance of revolutionary movements and by bringing about a cessation of bandit activities. From the information received by this Government, it appears that the great majority of the Haitian people are grateful for the services rendered by the United States Forces of Occupation, and it likewise appears that the greater part of the charges of alleged outrages and atrocities which have been brought against the American marines are unfounded. It is, however, essential that the most rigid measures be taken to prevent any unwarranted injury to the person or property of Haitian citizens by any member of the armed forces of the United States in occupation. It is understood that the United States marines composing the Forces of Occupation cannot be withdrawn from Haiti until the native constabulary, or gendarmerie, is better organized and disciplined than it is at present, without a recurrence of disorder. Inasmuch as it is the desire of the Government of the United States, however, to withdraw its Forces of Occupation as soon as may be possible, it should be one of the chief purposes of your mission to assist the Haitian Government in improving the discipline and organization of the gendarmerie and in bringing about an increase in the number of men enlisted, if necessary, so as to make the gendarmerie, in as brief a period of time as possible, competent in itself to maintain order in Haiti without American assistance. It is believed that if such reorganization of the gendarmerie be taken up by the Haitian Government, with your support, the presence of the United States Forces of Occupation will not be necessary after a few years' time, except, perhaps, small bodies of marines in Port-au-Prince and Cape Haitien as Legation and Consular Guards.

(4) Carrying out of plans for the prosperity and economic development of the Haitian Republic. Upon consideration of the needs of the Haitian people at the present time and in devising methods for furthering the economic development and prosperity of the Haitian people, the two outstanding needs of the Haitian Republic appear to be reform in the Haitian Judiciary and reform in the system of education. The Department desires you, upon your arrival in Haiti, to devote careful study to the condition of the Haitian Judiciary and to formulate recommendations whereby a far higher standard of ability and integrity may be obtained, bearing in mind, however, that the Department considers it essential, if at all practicable, that changes in the system now in force and improvement in the Judiciary should be accomplished through the Haitian Government and not through any foreign agency.

This Government is advised that the system of education which now exists in Haiti is inefficient. After careful consideration of this question, it is believed that a proper system of education can be brought about in Haiti only after the general direction of education is placed in the hands of a competent American officer having under his jurisdiction the necessary number of foreign or Haitian inspectors. It is therefore desired that you enter into negotiations with the Haitian Government looking towards the incorporation in the Treaty of 1915 of an additional article of the following tenor:

"The Republic of Haiti, being desirous of furthering the economic development and progress of the country and the education and advancement of its citizens, agrees to undertake to execute such measures as, in the opinion of the High Contracting Parties, it may be necessary to take for the advancement of education in the Republic, under the supervision and direction of an official to be appointed by the President of Haiti upon nomination of the President of the United States."

It is not intended that the power vested in the Treaty official, whose office it is intended should thereby be created, should consist solely in the supervision of the Ministry of Public Instruction, but that such official should be granted, on behalf of the United States, the right to control education in Haiti and to inaugurate, if found desirable, a system of manual training schools and of agricultural experimental stations.

The failure of the Haitian Government to float the loan provided for by the Protocol of October 3, 1919, entered into by the two Governments, has rendered it impossible for that Government to carry out public improvements in the Republic to any considerable extent. It is believed that once the necessary loan is obtained, very

'Foreign Relations, 1919, vol. II, p. 347.

material progress should be made in this direction in a comparatively short time. Development in communications and improvement in sanitary conditions should be comprehended in any program of this character.

In the pursuance of your duties as High Commissioner, and in your dealings with the members of the Haitian Government, it is desired that you bear in mind at all times, that the sole desire of the Government of the United States in its relations with the Republic of Haiti is to advance the welfare, both moral and material, of the Haitian people, with the hope that the assistance which the United States is enabled to bring to them will enable them, at no distant date, to undertake the task of maintaining a National Government, with no further interference on the part of this Government in their domestic affairs. You should likewise bear in mind that our intervention in Haiti and the continuance of the Occupation, based upon the obligations imposed upon the United States by the Treaty of 1915, is designed neither for the satisfaction of the United States, nor for the accomplishment of the theoretical views of this Government, nor for the promotion of any selfish purposes or ambitions on the part of the United States, but is designed solely in order that the happiness, tranquillity and welfare of the Haitian people may be advanced and in order that they, themselves, may be enabled to maintain a National Government established in accordance with the provisions of the present Constitution of the Republic, or of whatever other Constitution the Haitian people may later adopt. Finally, in your recommendations and advice to the Haitian Government, you should remember that whatever measures you may urge that Government to take should conform to the customs, habits, and even to the prejudices of the Haitian people, so far as may be consistent with the accomplishment of the indispensable requisites of stable and efficient government. I am [etc.]

CHARLES E. HUGHES

711.38/156a

President Harding to President Dartiguenave

WASHINGTON, February 13, 1922. GREAT AND GOOD FRIEND: I am availing myself of the opportunity presented by the return to Haiti of Brigadier General John H. Russell to send to Your Excellency, by means of this letter, the renewed assurances of my most cordial friendship and the expression of my hope that a happy and satisfactory solution may soon be reached of the problems which now confront Your Excellency's Government.

General Russell is returning to Haiti as my High Commissioner, with the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary. I have noted with deep regret that the objects of the Treaty which was entered into by the Governments of the United States and Haiti on September 16, 1915, have not been promoted so rapidly as this Government had anticipated. I believe that the reason for this may in part be due to the fact that there has not, in the past, been the necessary spirit of cooperation between the members of Your Excellency's Government and the officials nominated under the treaty of 1915 by the President of the United States and appointed by the President of Haiti. It will be the duty of General Russell, upon his return to Haiti as my High Commissioner, to supervise generally the work of the officials so appointed, and it is my thought that this supervision, leading to a more efficient conduct of the administration for which the Treaty provides, may remove whatever causes for friction between the officials of the two Governments may, in the past, unhappily, have existed and make possible an effective and loyal cooperation between the two Governments in the accomplishment of the purposes for which the Treaty was entered into. While routine communications will, in the future, as in the past, be conveyed to Your Excellency's Government through the American Legation at Port au Prince, it is my intention that messages of importance from this Government to that of Your Excellency will be communicated, after General Russell's return to Haiti, through my High Commissioner, and I trust that Your Excellency will lend him that necessary support which alone can make his mission successful.

In conclusion, I wish to make known to Your Excellency the sincere hope of this Government that the assistance which the Government of the United States, by reason of its Treaty obligations, is lending at this time to the Government of Haiti may effectively promote the happiness, welfare and prosperity of the Haitian Government and people, and permit me, likewise, to state, on behalf of this Government, that it is the most earnest desire of the United States that the day may soon come when the tranquillity and economic prosperity of the Haitian Republic and the finances of the Haitian Government will be on so stable and so sure a basis that the intervention of the United States in Haitian affairs will no longer be necessary.

Your Good Friend,

WARREN G. HARDING

By the President:

CHARLES E. HUGHES

Secretary of State

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