countries are watching our action with a great deal of interest because their people will naturally want about the same privileges as we will give the Filipinos, and it may add greatly to their troubles. On the other hand, you may conclude that it is really no affair of theirs what we do, which is probably the case, but it seemed to me that I had better have an expression of opinion from you about the desirability of making a representation of that kind to them. Sincerely yours, JOHN W. WEEKS 811b.01/64 The Secretary of State to the Secretary of War (Weeks) WASHINGTON, May 8, 1924. MY DEAR MR. SECRETARY: I have received your letter of May seventh asking whether I think it advisable to make a suggestion, or to ask for a suggestion from foreign governments, particularly Great Britain, France and Holland, relative to any action we may take in giving independence or future independence to the Philippine Islands. While I fully realize that our action in this matter may be of considerable interest to the Powers, I do not think that we should invite any suggestions from them as to what we should do with our own possessions. It seems to me that any action inviting a suggestion from the other Powers on this subject would easily give rise to misapprehensions and would involve us in needless difficulties. Faithfully yours, CHARLES E. HUGHES SANITARY CONVENTION BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER AMERICAN REPUBLICS, SIGNED NOVEMBER 14, 1924 Treaty Series No. 714 Convention between the United States of America and Other American Republics, Signed at Habana, November 14, 19245 The Presidents of Argentine, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Salvador, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, United States of America, Uruguay and Venezuela, being desirous of entering into a sanitary 84 "In English and Spanish; Spanish text not printed. Ratification advised by the Senate, Feb. 23, 1925; ratified by the President, Mar. 28, 1925; ratification of the United States deposited with the Government of Cuba, Apr. 13, 1925; proclaimed by the President, Apr. 28, 1925. convention for the purpose of better promoting and protecting the public health of their respective nations, and particularly to the end that effective cooperative international measures may be applied for the prevention of the international spread of the communicable infections of human beings and to facilitate international commerce and communication, have appointed as their plenipotentiaries, to-wit: The Republic of Argentine: Dr. Gregorio Araoz Alfaro. The United States of Brazil: Dr. Raúl Almeida Magalhaes. The Republic of Chile: Dr. Carlos Graf. The Republic of Colombia: The Republic of Costa Rica: The Republic of Cuba: Dr. Mario G. Lebredo. Dr. José A. López del Valle. Dr. Diego Tamayo. Dr. Francisco M. Fernández. The Republic of El Salvador: The United States of America: Dr. Hugh S. Cumming. Dr. Richard Creel. Mr. P. D. Cronin. Dr. Francis D. Patterson. The Republic of Guatemala: Dr. José de Cubas y Serrate. The Republic of Haiti: Dr. Charles Mathon. The Republic of Honduras: Dr. Arístides Agramonte. The Republic of Mexico: Dr. Alfonso Pruneda. The Republic of Panama : Dr. Jaime de la Guardia. The Republic of Paraguay: The Republic of Peru: Dr. Carlos E. Paz Soldán. The Dominican Republic: The Republic of Uruguay: Dr. Justo F. González. The United States of Venezuela: Dr. Enrique Tejera. Dr. Antonio Smith. Who, having exchanged their full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed to adopt, ad referendum, the following PAN AMERICAN SANITARY CODE CHAPTER I.-OBJECTS OF THE CODE AND DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED THEREIN ARTICLE 1. The objects of this code are: (a) The prevention of the international spread of communicable infections of human beings. (b) The promotion of cooperative measures for the prevention of the introduction and spread of disease into and from the territories of the signatory Goverments [sic]. (c) The standardization of the collection of morbidity and mortality statistics by the signatory Governments. (d) The stimulation of the mutual interchange of information which may be of value in improving the public health, and combating the diseases of man. (e) The standardization of the measures employed at places of entry, for the prevention of the introduction and spread of the communicable diseases of man, so that greater protection against them shall be achieved and unnecessary hindrance to international commerce and communication eliminated. ART. 2. Definitions. As herein used, the following words and phrases shall be taken in the sense hereinbelow indicated, except as a different meaning for the word or phrase in question may be given in a particular article, or is plainly to be collected from the context or connection where the term is used. Aircraft.-Any vehicle which is capable of transporting persons or things through the air, including aeroplanes, seaplanes, gliders, helocopters, air ships ballons and captive ballons [sic]. Area. A well determined portion of territory. Disinfection. The act of rendering free from the causal agencies of disease. Fumigation. A standard process by which the organisms of disease or their potential carriers are exposed to a gas in lethal concentrations. Index, Aedes Aegypti.-The percentage ratio determined after examination between the number of houses in a given area and the number in which larvae or mosquitoes of the Aedes aegypti are found, in a fixed period of time. Inspection. The act of examining persons, buildings, areas, or things which may be capable of harboring, transmitting or transporting the infectious agents of disease, or of propagating or favoring the propagation of such agents. Also the act of studying and observing measures put in force for the suppression or prevention of disease. Incubation, Period of.-For plague, cholera and yellow fever, each 6 days, for smallpox, 14 days, and for typhus fever 12 days. Isolation. The separation of human beings or animals from other human beings or animals in such manner as to prevent the interchange of disease. Plague.-Bubonic, septicemic, pneumonic or rodent plague. Port.-Any place or area where a vessel or aircraft may seek harbor, discharge or receive passengers, crew, cargo or supplies. Rodents.-Rats, domestic and wild, and other rodents. CHAPTER II SECTION 1. NOTIFICATION AND SUBSEQUENT COMMUNICATIONS TO OTHER COUNTRIES ART. 3. Each of the signatory Governments agrees to transmit to each of the other signatory Governments and to the Pan-American Sanitary Bureau, at intervals of not more than two weeks, a statement containing information as to the state of its public health, particularly that of its ports. The followings [sic] diseases are obligatorily reportable: Plague, cholera, yellow fever, smallpox, typhus, epidemic cerebropinal [sic] meningitis, acute epidemic poliomyelitis, epidemic lethargic encephalitis, influenza or epidemic la grippe, typhoid and paratyphoid fevers, and such other diseases as the Pan American Sanitary Bureau may, by resolution, add to the above list. ART. 4. Each signatory Government agrees to notify adjacent countries and the Pan American Sanitary Bureau immediately by the most rapid available means of communication, of the appearance in its territory of an authentic or officially suspected case or cases of plague, cholera, yellow fever, small pox, typhus or any other dangerous contagion liable to be spread through the intermediary agency of international commerce. ART. 5. This notification is to be accompanied, or very promptly followed, by the following additional information: 1. The area where the disease has appeared. 2. The date of its appearance, its origin, and its form. 3. The probable source or country from which introduced and manner of introduction. 4. The number of confirmed cases, and number of deaths. 5. The number of suspected cases and deaths. 6. In addition, for plague, the existence among rodents of plague, or of an unusual mortality among rodents; for yellow fever, the Aedes aegypti index of the locality. 7. The measures which have been applied for the prevention of the spread of the disease, and its eradication. ART. 6. The notification and information prescribed in Articles 4 and 5 are to be addressed to diplomatic or consular representatives in the capital of the infected country, and to the Pan American Sanitary Bureau at Washington, which shall immediately transmit the information to all countries concerned. ART. 7. The notification and the information prescribed in Articles 3, 4, 5, and 6 are to be followed by further communications in order to keep other Governments informed as to the progress of the disease or diseases. These communications will be made at least once weekly, and will be as complete as possible, indicating in detail the measures employed to prevent the extension of the disease. The telegraph, the cable, and the radio will be employed for this purpose, except in those instances in which the data may be transmitted rapidly by mail. Reports by telegraph, cable or radio will be confirmed by letter. Neighboring countries will endeavor to make special arrangements for the solution of local problems that do not involve widespread international interest. ART. 8. The signatory Governments agree that in the event of the appearance of any of the following diseases, namely: cholera, yellow fever, plague, typhus fever or other pestilential diseases in severe epidemic form, in their territory, they will immediately put in force appropriate sanitary measures for the prevention of the international carriage of any of the said diseases therefrom by passengers, crew, cargo and vessels, and mosquitoes, rats and vermin that may be |