121.5765/2
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Italy (Fletcher)
Sir: The receipt is acknowledged of your despatch No. 485, of June 23, 1925, with its enclosures, stating that the Italian Government cannot accord diplomatic status to Customs Attachés because the recognition of such status would require the Italian Government to grant to the officials in question authorization to perform duties in Italy which Italian laws do not require of Italian officials.
The Department interprets the Italian note to mean merely that diplomatic status for these officials is refused and not that they are in future prohibited from performing in Italy their duties under the Tariff Act of 1922.
In order that there may be no misunderstanding, you are requested to make informal inquiries on this subject and satisfy yourself that the Department’s understanding is correct, and that the Customs Officials may properly continue to perform the functions which they have heretofore performed in Italy.
In case the Italian Government intends to prohibit their further activities in Italy, you are instructed to point out again the considerations advanced in the Department’s circular instruction of April 2, 1925, emphasizing the difficulties which would inevitably arise for Italian exporters in case investigations in Italy were not permitted.
I am [etc.]