365D.1163/132

The Ambassador in Italy (Phillips) to the Secretary of State

No. 1285

Sir: With reference to the Department’s instruction No. 424 of January 20, 1939 (File No. 365D.1163/128) regarding the expropriation by the Italian authorities of the property of the Seventh Day Adventist Mission in Ethiopia, I have the honor to inform the Department that the report promised by the Foreign Office (see Embassy’s telegram No. 356 of December 1, 6 p.m., 19386) has now been received and a copy in translation is enclosed.

It will be seen that the Ministry of Italian Africa states that the representative on the spot of the Seventh Day Adventist Mission has failed to respond to the invitation of the Colonial authorities to discuss the proposed liquidation of the properties. It was explained orally at the Foreign Office that the appointment of an authorized agent to represent the Mission in discussions regarding the value of properties to be expropriated would facilitate matters greatly and that it might be possible to obtain a more satisfactory estimate of their value if the said agent be authorized to cooperate with the Colonial authorities in determining the valuation to be set.

Respectfully yours,

William Phillips
[Enclosure—Translation]

The Chief of the Office of Mediterranean and Italian East African Affairs of the Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs (Guarnaschelli) to the Second Secretary of the American Embassy (Reber)

203502/16

Dear Mr. Reber: As I have already verbally advised you, the Royal Ministry of Italian Africa, which has been informed of the condition of matters concerning the liquidation of the properties of the Seventh Day Adventist Mission in Italian East Africa, has recently communicated that Mr. Cupertino—to whom at the request of the Adventist Mission permission to enter Italian East Africa was granted—has been repeatedly invited by the competent Colonial authorities to discuss the procedure of liquidation of the properties of the Mission; but Cupertino has failed to do so.

Although the Government General of Italian East Africa wished to get in touch with Cupertino in order to agree upon a settlement, [Page 509] it was forced in the circumstances to propose to the Royal Ministry of Italian Africa to proceed as follows:

1)
With regard to the real properties of the Mission, to issue a decree declaring that the buildings of the Mission located in Addis Ababa near the hospital “Duca degli Abruzzi” and those located in Addis Alem are of public value, and to expropriate them for the use of the sanitary organization of that Government General.
2)
With regard to the Filoà Hospital (Addis Ababa), administered by the Mission and therefore State property, to issue a decree to assign such real properties to the Institute “Adelia Clementi Graziani,” paying the Adventist Mission an indemnity for the best fixings of the building and the hospital equipment.
3)
With regard to the properties of the Mission located in Galla and Sidam and in Amara, to follow the same procedure of expropriation proposed in paragraph No. 1 with respect to real properties in Addis Ababa and Addis Alem.

The Royal Ministry of Italian Africa authorized the said procedure and consequently the Government General of Italian East Africa on October 10 issued the decree of expropriation attached hereto with regard to the buildings in Addis Ababa and Addis Alem, and the decree, also attached, with regard to assigning real properties of the Filoà Hospital to the Maternity and Infants Institute “Adelia Clementi Graziani.” In connection with the expropriation of real properties in Addis Ababa and in Alem, the indemnities of 189,000 lire and 25,000 lire, respectively, are fixed.

The Royal Ministry of Italian Africa adds that it will inquire of the Government General of Italian East Africa whether there have been any further developments in the negotiations with Mr. Cupertino and reserves the possibility of communicating such information as it may receive in this respect.

With best regards,

Guarnaschelli
[Subenclosure 1—Translation]

Expropriation Decree of October 10, 1938, Regarding Certain Properties of the Seventh-Day Adventist Mission

In view of Articles 8 and 107 of the “Ordinamento Fondiario” (Land Laws) for the Colony of Eritrea, approved by R. D. 7th of February 1926, No. 269;

In view of Article 63 of the R. D. L. of the 1st of June, 1936–XIV, No. 1019, amended in the law of January 11, 1937–XV, No. 285;

Recognizing the urgent necessity of providing for the systematization of the hospitals of Addis Ababa, and for the organization of the sanitary service at Addis Alem;

[Page 510]

Considering the opportuneness of declaring the public utility of proceeding to the expropriation of all properties belonging to the Union of Seventh-day Adventist Missions in the Cabana sector, in the vicinity of the “Duca degli Abruzzi”, and the buildings of the Union located at Addis Alem;

Whereas the report of the Commission is in harmony with Article 108 of the “Ordinamento Fondiario” for the Colony of Eritrea;

In virtue of the powers conferred by Article 56 of the above-mentioned R. D. L. No. 1019;

We Have Decreed And Decree:

Article 1

Are declared of public utility the properties belonging to the Union of the Seventh-day Adventist Missions, situated in the Cabana sector, adjacent to the Government Hospital “Duca degli Abruzzi”, and in Addis Alem, as shown by the Cadaster Office.

Article 2

Is ordered the expropriation of the above-mentioned properties in favor of the Government of Addis Ababa.

Article 3

For said expropriation the Union of Adventist Missions will be entitled to an indemnity in the proportion indicated in the annexed list.7

Article 4

The right of petition is granted, with regards to the title of the property and the amount of the indemnity, during a period of 15 days from the date of the publication of the present decree.

Article 5

The Governor of Addis Ababa is commissioned to see that the present decree, as well as the requirements of Article 62 of the “Regolamento Fondiario” of Eritrea, and of any other stipulations relating to this matter, are carried out.


Amedeo Di Savoia

Registered at the Court of Accounts, Delegation of Addis Ababa, October 25, 1938–XVI.

Register No. 5, page 20.—Girotti.

[Page 511]
[Subenclosure 2—Translation]

Decree of October 10, 1938, Ordering the Affiliation of the Filoà Maternity Hospital (Seventh Day Adventist Hospital) With the Maternity and Child Hospital “Adelia Clementi Graziani”

Considering the urgent necessity of providing for the systematization of the sanitary services of Addis Ababa;

Recognizing the opportuneness of affiliating the maternity service with the “Ricovero Maternita ed Infanzia ‘Adelia Clementi Graziani’”;

We Have Decreed And Decree:

Article 1

The buildings of the domanial property situated at Filoa and at present used by the Maternity Hospital operated by the Union of Seventh-day Adventist Missions are to be put at the disposal of the Addis Ababa Government.

Article 2

The Mission will be expected to vacate the premises within a month after the publication of the present decree.

Article 3

The management of the Maternity Hospital is to be turned over to the Maternity and Child Hospital “Adelia Clementi Graziani”.

Article 4

A commission composed of a government functionary, an engineer of the Office of Public Works, a physician of the Superior Inspection of Health, will fix the amount of the indemnity deserved by the Seventh-day Adventist Mission for the improvements made in the domanial buildings mentioned above and for the transfer of all medical and other equipment of the Maternity Hospital.


Amedeo di Savoia

Registered at the Court of Accounts, Delegation of Addis Ababa, October 20, 1938–XVI.

Register No. 4, page 275.—Salerno.