Treaty Series No. 652
Treaty between the United States of America and the United States of Venezuela, Signed at Caracas, March 21, 191413
The President of the United States of Venezuela and the President of the United States of America, being desirous to strengthen the bonds of amity that bind Venezuela and the United States together and also to advance the cause of general peace, have resolved to [Page 942] enter into a treaty for that purpose and to that end have appointed as their plenipotentiaries:
The President of the United States of Venezuela, Señor Doctor Manuel Diaz Rodriguez, Minister for Foreign Relations; and the President of the United States of America, Mr Preston McGoodwin, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of said Nation to Venezuela;
Who, after having communicated to each other their respective full powers, found to be in proper form, have agreed upon and concluded the following articles:
Article I
The high contracting parties agree that all disputes between them, of every nature whatsoever, which diplomacy shall fail to adjust, shall be submitted for investigation and report to a Permanent International Commission, to be constituted in the manner prescribed in article II; and they agree, if the case arises, not to declare war nor to begin hostilities during such investigation and before the report has been considered.
Article II
The International Commission shall be composed of five members, to be appointed as follows: one member shall be chosen from each country, by the Government thereof; one member shall be chosen by each Government from some third country; the fifth member shall be chosen by common agreement between the two Governments, who can also submit his election to the four arbitrators already appointed; it being understood that he shall not be a citizen of either of the two countries. The expenses shall be paid by the two Governments in equal proportion.
The International Commission shall be appointed within six months after the exchange of the ratifications of this treaty; and the vacancies shall be filled according to the manner of the original appointment.
Article III
In case the high contracting parties shall have failed to adjust a dispute by diplomatic methods, they shall at once refer it to the International Commission for investigation and report. The International Commission, may, however, before taking diplomatic steps or in the course thereof, act upon its own initiative, and in such case it shall notify both Governments and request their cooperation in the investigation.
[Page 943]The high contracting parties agree to afford to the Permanent International Com[m]ission all the means and facilities required for its investigation and report.
In each instance, the report of the International Commission shall be completed within one year after the date on which it shall declare its investigation to have begun, unless the high contracting parties shall limit or extend the time by mutual agreement. The report shall be prepared in triplicate; one copy shall be presented to each Government, and the third retained by the Commission for its files.
The high contracting parties reserve the right to act independently on the subject-matter of the dispute after the report of the Commission shall have been submitted.
Article IV
The present treaty shall be ratified by the President of the United States of Venezuela, with the approval of the Congress; and by the President of the United States of America, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof; and the ratifications shall be exchanged as soon as possible.
It shall take effect immediately after the exchange of ratifications, and shall continue in force for a period of five years; and it shall thereafter remain in force until twelve months after one of the high contracting parties have given notice to the other of an intention to terminate it.
In witness whereof the respective plenipotentiaries have signed the present treaty and have affixed thereunto their seals.
[seal]
[seal]
- In English and Spanish; Spanish text not printed. Ratification advised by the Senate, Aug. 11, 1914; ratified by the President, Jan. 4, 1916; ratified by Venezuela, July 30, 1915; ratifications exchanged at Caracas, Feb. 12, 1921; proclaimed, Mar. 21, 1921.↩