Uncle Sam Abroad

by Jacob Elon Conner

Key:

A: “Most-Favored-Nation” Clause. B: Inviolability of Consular Archives. C: Inviolability of Consular Office and Dwelling. D: Exemption from Arrest. E: Exemption from Obligation to Appear as a Witness. F: Exemption from Taxation. G: Exemption from Military and Public Service. H: Procedure in Infraction of Treaties—Correspondence. I: Use of National Arms and Flag on Consular Office and Dwelling. J: Right to Take Depositions. K: Jurisdiction Over Disputes Between Masters, Officers, and Crew. L: Right to Reclaim Deserters. M: Jurisdiction Over Salvage and Wrecks. N: Right to Take Charge of Deceased Citizens’ Effects. O: Extradition of Criminals. P: Judicial Powers.

Note.—For explanation of this table, see following pages.

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K	L	M	N	O	P
Argentina	†	†	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Austria- Hungary	†	†	.	‡	‡	§	§	†	‡	†	†	†	†	‡	†	.
Belgium	†	†	†	†	‡	§	§	†	‡	†	†	†	†	‡	¶	.
Bolivia	†	†	†	.	.	§	.	.	.	.	.	†	†	.	.	.
Borneo	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	†	.	.	†
China	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	†	.	.	†
Colombia	†	†	.	.	.	§	†	†	‡	†	†	†	†	‡	¶	.
Costa Rica	†	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	‡	.	.
Denmark	†	†	.	.	.	§	†	.	.	.	†	†	.	.	.	.
Dominican Republic	†	†	.	.	.	§	.	.	.	.	†	†	†	.	¶	.
Ecuador	†	†	.	.	.	§	.	.	.	.	.	†	†	.	¶	.
Egypt	†	.	.	.	.	§	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
France	†	†	†	‡	‡	§	§	†	†	†	†	†	†	.	.	.
Germany	†	†	†	†	.	‡§	§	†	‡	†	†	†	†	‡	.	.
Great Britain	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	†	.	.	†	.
Greece	.	†	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	†	†	†	.	.	.
Guatemala	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	†	.	.	.
Hanseatic Republic	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	†	.	.	.	.
Hayti	†	†	.	.	.	§	.	.	.	.	.	†	†	.	.	.
Honduras	†	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	†	‡	.	.
Italy	†	.	†	†	‡	§	§	†	‡	†	†	†	†	‡	¶	.
Japan	†	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	†	†	.	¶	.
Kongo Free State	†	†	†	†	.	§	§	†	‡	†	†	†	.	.	.	.
Korea	†	.	†	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	†	.	.	†
Liberia	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	†	.	.	.
Madagascar	†	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	†	†	.	.	†
Maskat	.	†	†	†	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	†	†	.	†
Morocco	†	.	†	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	†	†	.	†
Netherlands	†	†	.	†	‡	§	§	†	‡	†	†	†	†	‡	¶	.
Nicaragua	†	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	‡	¶	.
Orange Free State	†	†	.	.	.	§	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	¶	.
Ottoman Empire	.	.	.	†	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	†	.	¶	†
Paraguay	†	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	†	‡	.	.
Persia	†	.	.	.	.	§	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	†	.	†
Peru	†	†	.	.	.	§	.	.	.	.	.	†	.	†	.	.
Portugal	†	†	.	.	.	§	.	.	.	.	†	†	.	.	.	.
Prussia	†	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	†	.
Roumania	†	†	†	‡	‡	§	†	‡	†	†	†	†	†	‡	.	.
Russia	†	.	.	.	.	§	.	.	.	.	†	†	.	.	¶	.
Salvador	†	†	†	.	‡	§	†	†	†	†	†	†	†	†	¶	.
Samoan Islands	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	†
Servia	†	†	†	†	‡	§	†	‡	†	†	.	.	.	‡	.	.
Siam	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	†	†	.	¶	†
Spain	†	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	†	.	¶	.
Sweden and Norway	.	†	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	†	†	†	.	¶	.
Switzerland	†	†	.	.	.	§	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	¶	.
Tripoli	†	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	†	.	†	†	.	†
Tunis	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	†	†	.	†

EXPLANATION OF PRECEDING TABLE

Whenever a sign of any kind appears in the preceding synopsis it means that there is a proviso in our treaty with that country touching more or less definitely upon the subject indicated. The sign (†) means that the subject is covered by the proviso or nearly so; a (‡) means that it is modified in some measure; a (§) means that it applies only to American citizens in the consular service, not to foreigners, and a (¶) means that the requisitions for the extradition of criminals may be made “through the superior consular officer; otherwise through the diplomatic service.” A blank space means that the point is not touched upon by any treaty now in force.

This synopsis of our commercial treaties shows at a glance their relative fullness or deficiency, and the most remarkable thing about it is their deficiency. Sometimes, it is true, by virtue of international comity, much larger discretion is exercised by consuls and diplomats than is vouchsafed by the terms of the treaty; but it is not to be inferred that this is always the case.

Treaties are sometimes intended to last forever (in perpetuo), and sometimes they are concluded for only a term of years. Political treaties, the purposes of which is usually to terminate wars, establish boundaries, award indemnities, etc., naturally belong, as a rule, to the first class, while commercial treaties usually have a time limit. This accounts for a good many of the blank spaces in the above synopsis.

It will be noticed that there are some countries in the above list which have not at present the treaty making power—such, for instance, as Egypt, the Hanseatic Republic, Prussia, Hawaii, Samoa, Madagascar, Borneo, Kongo Free State, etc. In such cases the government which assumes the sovereignty assumes the treaty obligations, or else concludes new ones.

It may be noticed, on the other hand, that there are no commercial treaties with either Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay or Chile. This does not mean that there are no political treaties with those countries, or that there never have been any commercial treaties, but merely that in some cases the latter have been allowed to lapse or have been abrogated, and no new ones have been concluded. Canada, Australia, India, and all other colonies have no sovereignty, and therefore are not states in international law. Hence they cannot appoint or receive ambassadors nor can they make treaties except through the sovereign power.