881.512/154
The Diplomatic Agent and Consul General at Tangier (White) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 1.]
Sir: I have the honor to enclose herewith the French text and translation of a Vizirial Decree dated September 10, 1940,77 which increases from 2000 to 3000 francs per hectoliter the internal consumption tax on alcohol in the French Zone of Morocco.
By Note dated October 9, 1940, the French Resident General at Rabat requests that this increased taxation on alcohol be made applicable to American nationals and protégés.
I am of the opinion that there would seem to be no objection to the Department’s acquiescence in this request subject to the reservations which have been formulated by the Department in the past, with respect to the subjection of American ressortissants to the payment of the internal consumption tax on alcohol in French Morocco. (See cable Instruction No. 1 of January 7, 1925 and Instruction No. 459 of February 10, 1928, File 881.512/5378).
Such reservations are the following:
- 1. That the tax shall be levied on all inhabitants of the French Zone alike;
- 2. That in so far as concerns American nationals and protected persons the increase in the taxation shall be effective as of the date of the notification to the Shereefian Government of the Department’s assent to the legislation;
- 3. That the jurisdiction of the American Consular Court over American nationals and ressortissants in the French Zone of Morocco is not abridged in any manner by reason of the Vizirial Decree in question;
- and 4. Since Article 3 of this Vizirial Decree invokes the application of Article 7 of the Dahir of June 30, 1930, providing for the search of private dwellings and offices suspected of harboring clandestine stocks, the stipulation that the search of premises of American ressortissants may take place only with the previous consent of the American Consul at Casablanca and with the assistance of his delegate.
Respectfully yours,