FRANCE-GREAT BRITAIN. Agreement respecting trade with Morocco and French decree regulating the transit of goods through Algeria. GREAT BRITAIN-FRANCE-RUSSIA. Exchange of notes modifying Article 2 of the convention of November 9, 1914, relating to prizes captured during ITALY. Accession to convention of November 9, 1914, between Great Britain and France relating to prizes captured during the European War. Janu- PORTUGAL-GREAT BRITAIN. Treaty of commerce and navigation. August 12, UNITED STATES. Address of President to Congress. April 2, 1917.. 125 131 151 Proclamation declaring existence of war with Germany and estab- NUMBER 4, OCTOBER, 1917 CHINA. Declaration of war on Germany and Austria. August 14, 1917...... GERMANY-UNITED STATES. Message from the Emperor to the President re- garding negotiations preceding the war. August 14, 1914.. LIBERIA-GERMANY. Severance of diplomatic relations. May 5, 1917.......... PANAMA CANAL. Rules and regulations for management and protection of, Executive order establishing defensive areas. August 27, 1917..... RUSSIA-GREAT BRITAIN. Exchange of notes regarding war aims. May 8- SPAIN. Decree governing the treatment of submarines. June 29, 1917...... 175 UNITED STATES. Act to punish interference with foreign relations, neutrality, and to punish espionage, etc. June 15, 1917..... Executive order taking over German vessels. June 30, 1917..... Proclamation relating to German insurance agencies. April 6, 1917. Proclamation prohibiting war insurance by German companies. July OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS TREATY BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND BRAZIL FOR THE Signed at Washington, July 24, 1914; ratifications exchanged THE Governments of the United States of America and of Brazil being desirous of giving another manifestation of the old friendship that binds the two countries together, and being united in the purpose of promoting the progress of civilization through peace, have resolved to enter into a special treaty for the amicable settlement of any future difficulties which may arise between the two countries, and for that purpose have appointed as their plenipotentiaries: The President of the United States of America, Mr. William Jennings Bryan, Secretary of State; and The President of the United States of Brazil, Mr. Domicio da Gama, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary; Who, duly authorized, have agreed upon the following articles: ARTICLE I. The two high contracting parties agree to submit to a Permanent International Commission, for investigation and report, all disputes that may arise between them concerning questions of an international character which cannot be solved by direct diplomatic negotiation, and which are not embraced by the terms of any treaty of arbitration in force between them; and they agree not to declare war or to begin hostilities pending the investigation and report of said commission. ARTICLE II. The commission mentioned in the preceding article shall be composed of five members each appointed for five years, as follows: Each government shall designate two members, only one of whom shall be of its own nationality. The fifth member shall be chosen by common agreement between the two Governments, it being understood that he shall not belong to any of the nationalities already represented in the commission. The fifth member shall perform the duties of president. 1 U. S. Treaty Series, No. 627. 1 Either contracting party may remove at any time, before investigation begins, any commissioner selected by it, appointing his successor on the same occasion. Likewise, each Government shall also have the right to withdraw its approval of the fifth member; in which case the new fifth member will be appointed within thirty days following the notification of the withdrawal, by common agreement between the two Governments, and failing this agreement the President of the Swiss Confederation shall be requested to make the appointment. The expenses of the commission shall be paid by the two Governments in equal proportions. The commission shall be constituted and shall be ready for business within six months after the exchange of ratifications of the present treaty. At the expiration of each period of five years, the commissioners may be reappointed or others may be substituted for them. Any vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. The commission shall make its own rules of procedure. ARTICLE III. In the case of failure to agree upon the diplomatic solution of a dispute concerning a question of an international character, the two high contracting parties shall submit it to said commission for investigation and report. The convocation of the commission may be made by either contracting Government. The commission shall by preference sit in the country in which there are the greater facilities for the study of the question, and the high contracting parties shall furnish all the means to that end. The report of the commission shall be presented within a year counted from the date at which the commission shall declare that its work is begun, unless a prolongation of the time shall be accorded by both parties. This report, which is purely advisory and does not bind the contracting parties as to the question at issue, shall be prepared in triplicate, each Government being furnished with a copy and the third kept in the files of the commission. ARTICLE IV. After presentation of the report to both Governments six months' time will be given to renewed negotiations in order to bring about a solution of the question in view of the findings of said report; and if after this new term both Governments should be unable to reach a friendly arrangement, they will proceed to submit |