the first mentioned instrument, in default of a provision to the contrary, was on that date an international agreement existing between the two countries and applicable to the Danish West Indies, within the scope of the above-mentioned Article 10 of the convention of August 4, 1916, which it was the intention of the two contracting Governments should extend to the ceded islands when they came under the sovereignty of the United States. This intention obviously was rendered effective with regard to all the parties to the agreement of 1904 by force of the adherence of the United States to that agreement. As the agreement has not been denounced by this Government since the ceded Islands came under the sovereignty of the United States, this Government considers that it is yet in force in respect of the islands embraced within the convention of cession. It is apparent to the Department of State that the matter is in no way affected by the convention of May 4, 1910, for the suppression of the trade in white women, to which the United States is not a party, and to which Denmark did not become a party until after the cession of the Danish West Indies to the United States. Accept, Excellency, the renewed assurances of my highest consideration. His EXCELLENCY MR. PAUL CLAUDEL, Ambassador of France. WILBUR J. CARR Acting Secretary of State CHANGE TO BE NOTED IN THE LIST OF THE HUMANITARIAN TREATIES OF THE UNITED STATES On page 49 of the First Supplement of the Bulletin of Treaty Information, July 31, 1929, there should be added under the heading “Bipartite Treaties Signed but not in Force" the following: Panama: Convention Modifying the Convention for the Prevention of Smuggling of Intoxicating Liquors, signed at Washington June 6, 1924 Signed at Panama March 14, 1932. ECONOMIC FISHERIES CONVENTION FOR THE REGULATION OF WHALING United States The American Minister to Switzerland reported by a telegram dated March 31, 1932, that he had signed that day on behalf of the United States the convention of September 24, 1931, for the regulation of whaling.1 Latvia NAVIGATION INTERNATIONAL LOAD LINE CONVENTION 2 By a note dated March 15, 1932, the British Ambassador at Washington informed the Secretary of State that the instrument of ratification of Latvia of the international load line convention signed at London July 5, 1930, was deposited in the archives of the British Government on January 29, 1932. The convention has, according to the information of the Department, been ratified by three countries: the United States, Denmark, and Latvia. Article 24 of the convention provides that it shall come into force on July 1, 1932, as between the governments which have deposited their ratifications by that date, provided that at least five ratifications have been deposited with the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Should five ratifications not have been deposited by that date, the convention shall become effective three months after the date on which the fifth ratification is deposited. 3 AGREEMENT CONCERNING MARITIME SIGNALS AND AGREEMENT CONCERNING MANNED LIGHTSHIPS NOT ON THEIR STATIONS * Belgium The following letter regarding the ratification by Belgium of the agreement concerning maritime signals and the agreement concern 'See Bulletin No. 27, December, 1931, p. 11. ing manned lightships not on their stations was circulated by the League of Nations under date of February 27, 1932: I have the honour to inform you that the Belgian Minister for Foreign Affairs has forwarded to me the instrument of ratification by His Majesty the King of the Belgians of the following agreements which were signed at Lisbon, October 23, 1930: Agreement concerning maritime signals, Agreement concerning manned lightships not on their stations. When transmitting this instrument, the Belgian Minister for Foreign Affairs informed me that as regards the agreement concerning maritime signals, Belgium cannot undertake, for the present, to apply the provisions relating to "Warning of gale expected to affect the locality" which form the first chapter of the regulations of this agreement. Further, the ratification by Belgium of the provisions which are the object of chapter II (Tide and depth signals), and chapter III (Signals concerning the movement of vessels at the entrances of harbours or important channels), will only take effect when Germany, Denmark, France, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Norway shall have themselves notified their effective ratifications of the provisions contained in these two chapters. The ratification by Belgium of these two agreements does not apply to the Belgian Congo. The above-mentioned instrument of ratification was deposited with the Secretariat of the League of Nations on February 10, 1932. CONVENTION CONCERNING THE MARKING OF THE WEIGHT ON HEAVY PACKAGES TRANSPORTED BY VESSELS 5 Portugal According to a circular letter from the League of Nations, dated March 11, 1932, the ratification by Portugal of the convention concerning the marking of the weight on heavy packages transported by vessels, adopted by the International Labor Conference at its twelfth session, Geneva, May 30-June 21, 1929, was registered with the Secretariat on March 1, 1932. MISCELLANEOUS CLAIMS MIXED CLAIMS COMMISSION-UNITED STATES AND GERMANY The Governments of the United States and Germany have selected Mr. Justice Owen J. Roberts, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, as the Umpire of the Mixed Claims Commission, United States and Germany, to succeed Mr. Roland W. Boyden, deceased. The selection was made following the expressed wish of the German Government that the Umpire, like the two predecessors of Justice Roberts, should be a distinguished American jurist. Justice Roberts has indicated his willingness to serve and the formal appointment has been made. GENERAL CLAIMS CONVENTION BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND PANAMA The Mixed Claims Commission provided for under the general claims convention signed between the United States and Panama, July 28, 1926, has been completed by the appointment of Mr. Joseph R. Baker, Assistant Legal Adviser, Department of State, as the American Commissioner, and the appointment of Señor Don Horacio Alfaro, Panamanian Minister to the United States, as the Panamanian Commissioner. The presiding neutral Commissioner, Señor Don Miguel Cruchaga Tocornal, Chilean Ambassador to the United States, had previously been chosen by the Governments of the United States and Panama. The Commission, which is to meet in Washington on April 1, 1932, for the purposes of organization and adoption of rules of procedure, has jurisdiction over the unsettled claims of citizens of each country against the other arising since the independence of Panama was declared on November 3, 1903. The so-called Colón Fire Claims of 1885 and claims falling under article VI of the Panama Canal Treaty are not to be passed upon by this commission.1 'See Bulletin No. 28, January, 1932, p. 25. TEXTS OF CONVENTIONS [The publication of texts hereunder does not imply that the United States is, contemplates becoming, or is eligible to become a party.] GENERAL CONVENTION TO IMPROVE THE MEANS OF PREVENTING WAR1 His Majesty the King of the Albanians; the President of the German Reich; the Federal President of the Austrian Republic; His Majesty the King of the Belgians; His Majesty the King of the Bulgarians; the President of the Republic of Colombia; His Majesty the King of Denmark and Iceland; the President of the Government of the Spanish Republic; the President of the French Republic; the President of the Hellenic Republic; the President of the Lithuanian Republic; Her Royal Highness the Grand-Duchess of Luxemburg; His Majesty the King of Norway; the President of the Republic of Panama; Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands; the President of the Republic of Peru; the President of the Portuguese Republic; His Majesty the King of Siam; His Majesty the King of Sweden; the Swiss Federal Council; the President of the Czechoslovak Republic; the President of the Republic of Uruguay, Being sincerely desirous of developing mutual confidence by increasing the efficacy of the means of preventing war, Noting that, for this purpose, the task of the Council of the League of Nations in ensuring peace and conciliation might be facilitated by undertakings assumed voluntarily in advance by the States, Have decided to conclude a Convention and have for that purpose appointed as their plenipotentiaries: His Majesty the King of the Albanians: M. Lec Kurti, Resident Minister, Permanent Delegate accredited to the League of Nations. The President of the German Reich: M. Hans H. Völckers, Consul-General at Geneva. The Federal President of the Austrian Republic: M. E. Pflügl, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, Representative of the Federal Government accredited to the League of Nations. His Majesty the King of the Belgians: M. Le Jeune de Münsbach, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Text as printed in League of Nations Document No. C.658 (1).M.269(1). 1931.IX. This convention, concluded under the auspices of the League of Nations Sept. 26, 1931, remained open for signature until Feb. 2, 1932. According to the information of the Department, there have to date been no deposits of ratifications. |