Under the circumstances, may I ask that Your Excellency be good enough to cause an investigation to be made in this case? I avail myself of this opportunity to renew to Your Excellency the assurances of my highest consideration. In your letter of September 3, 1924, you were good enough to draw my attention to the case of Mr. Maroon A. Ina, an American citizen, who was imprisoned at Zahleh, while awaiting trial, for being implicated in brigandage. I have the honor to inform you that the case in question was intrusted to the French examining magistrate, a certain number of foreigners being implicated therein. This magistrate, besides, referred subsequently this case to the War Council, the events in question having occasioned the death of a French non-commissioned officer. The number of persons who participated in this crime necessitates a considerable investigation. This explains why the imprisonment, before the trial, has lasted. You will, however, agree with me that, considering the importance of these facts and the primordial interest for the country to put an end to the custom of brigandage which still exists in some backward villages, it is necessary that the Court be able to act freely with the reservation, however, of the safeguards provided for in the treaties and laws regarding individual freedom. I am, besides, disposed to enjoin to the States under mandate the suggestions you proposed: 1st. When a person is arrested who declares to the Police authorities, upon his arrest, that he is an American citizen, the local authorities should immediately communicate this declaration to the nearest American Consulate for confirmation. 2nd. Upon the establishment by the American Consular Authorities of his American nationality, his case will be immediately brought before the French examining magistrate who will examine it, according to the law, and will verify whether there is sufficient evidence against the accused to bring him to trial; 259-333-71—61 3rd. If there is not sufficient evidence to warrant bringing the accused to trial, he will be released immediately. If there is sufficient evidence of delinquency or crime, the law will determine the cases in which the releasing from custody upon giving bail is a right or an option. This law will be applied to American citizens in the largest spirit of toleration. 4th. The agreement between the United States and France,2 granting to American citizens the same rights as to subjects of the other States which are members of the League of Nations, states that Americans must be judged by the Courts instituted in ordinances 2029 and 2030, i.e. by the Courts which include French Judges, and before which a party can request, if he wishes, that the majority of the judges be French. Please accept etc 1 Convention signed at Paris Apr. 4, 1924 (TS 695, ante, p. 925). WEYGAND DEBT FUNDING Agreement signed at Washington April 29, 1926 Approved by Act of Congress of December 18, 1929 1 Modified by agreement of June 10, 1932 2 1 Treasury Department print AGREEMENT Made the 29th day of April, 1926, at the City of Washington, District of Columbia, between the FRENCH REPUBLIC, hereinafter called France, party of the first part, and THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, hereinafter called the United States, party of the second part WHEREAS, France is indebted to the United States as of June 15, 1925, upon obligations in the aggregate principal amount of $3,340,516,043.72, together with interest accrued and unpaid thereon; and WHEREAS, France desires to fund said indebtedness to the United States, both principal and interest, through the issue of bonds to the United States, and the United States is prepared to accept bonds from France upon the terms hereinafter set forth; Now, therefore, in consideration of the premises and of the mutual covenants herein contained, it is agreed as follows: 1. Amount of Indebtedness. The amount of indebtedness to be funded, after allowing for certain cash payments made or to be made by France is $4,025,000,000, which has been computed as follows: Principal of obligations held for cash advanced under Liberty Bond Acts. $2, 933, 405, 070. 15 Accrued and unpaid interest at 44% to December 15, 1922.. Principal of obligations given for Total indebtedness as of Decem- 445, 066, 027. 49 2. Payment. In order to provide for the payment of the indebtedness thus to be funded France will issue to the United States at par bonds of France in the aggregate principal amount of $4,025,000,000, dated June 15, 1925, and maturing serially on the several dates and in the amounts fixed in the following schedule: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That France, at its option, upon not less than ninety days' advance notice to the United States, may postpone so much of any payment on account of principal and/or interest falling due in any one year as hereinabove provided after June 15, 1926, and prior to June 16, 1932, as shall be in excess of $20,000,000 in any one year, to any subsequent June 15 or December 15 not more than three years distant from its due date, and upon like notice France, at its option, may postpone any payment on account of principal falling due as hereinafter provided after June 15, 1932, to any subsequent June 15 or December 15 not more than three years distant from its due date, but any such postponement shall be only on condition that in case France shall at any time exercise this option as to any payment of principal and/or interest, the payment falling due in the third succeeding year can not be postponed at all unless and until the payment of principal and/or interest due three years, two years and one year previous thereto shall actually have been made. All such postponed payments shall bear interest at the rate of 44% per annum payable semiannually. 3. Form of Bond. All bonds issued or to be issued hereunder to the United States shall be payable to the Government of the United States of America, or order, and shall be signed for France by its Ambassador at Washington, or by its other duly authorized representative. The bonds shall be substantially in the form set forth in the exhibit hereto annexed and marked “Exhibit A”, and shall be issued in 62 pieces with maturities and in denominations as hereinabove set forth and shall bear no interest until June 15, 1930, and thereafter shall bear interest at the rate of 1% per annum from June 15, 1930, to June 15, 1940; at the rate of 2% per annum from June 15, 1940, to June 15, 1950; at the rate of 22% per annum from June 15, 1950, to June 15, 1958; at the rate of 3% per annum from June 15, 1958, to June 15, 1965, and at the rate of 32% per annum after June 15, 1965, all payable semiannually on June 15 and December 15 of each year. 4. Method of Payment. All bonds issued or to be issued hereunder shall be payable, as to both principal and interest, in United States gold coin of the present standard of value, or, at the option of France, upon not less than thirty days' advance notice to the United States, in any obligations of the United States issued after April 6, 1917, to be taken at par and accrued interest to the date of payment hereunder. All payments, whether in cash or in obligations of the United States, to be made by France on account of the principal of or interest on any bonds issued or to be issued hereunder and held by the United States, shall be made at the Treasury of the United States in Washington, or, at the option of the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and if in cash shall be made in funds immediately available on the date of payment, or if in obligations of the United States shall be in |