File No. 838.51/581
The Secretary of State to the Haitian Minister
Washington, April 16, 1917.
Sir: The Department has deferred replying to your note of January 11, 1917, transmitting a memorandum on the subject of the attachment of salaries of the officials of the Republic of Haiti, until it could give the matter careful consideration.
The Government of the United States believes that the order of Admiral Caperton has served and is serving a useful purpose as the only means at the present time of preventing the injustices which otherwise might occur, due to the facility with which the salary of any Government employee could be attached for the purpose of enforcing payment of old claims and of claims arising from the discounting of salaries, inflated many times by usurious rates of interest, there being no usury law in Haiti.
[Page 809]The Department suggests that a solution of this matter might be found in the enactment by the Haitian Legislature, at present in session, of a new law covering the objectionable features of the present law, which would render unnecessary a continuance of the military order.
Accept [etc.]