611.5131/610c: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in France (Whitehouse)
314. Please see the Minister for Foreign Affairs at once and say that by the President’s direction you are making following statement:
In the American aide-mémoire of September 20 reference to possible use of section 317 of tariff act was purposely avoided as it is [Page 691] understood that French Government felt such a reference might be embarrassing to it. Since the French aide-mémoire95 refers, however, to mention in the American aide-mémoire of article 317, necessity arises in all candor to point out that present controversy results from initiative of French Government’s applying to American commerce additional discriminatory rates, nearly all of which are four times as high as minimum rates. These general rates of the French tariff are, as has been repeatedly admitted by officials of the French Government, admittedly bargaining or penalty rates. Should the President declare in force the duties authorized under section 317, as he sincerely hopes it will not become necessary for him to do, these duties would only correspond to the bargaining duties which France has already imposed, and the two countries would be placed on more nearly equal bargaining basis.
President feels definitely that unless during the forthcoming negotiations American products to which the general or discriminatory rates of French tariff decree of August 30, 1927, have been applied, shall be given immediately the minimum rates of duty of French tariff, the imposition, pursuant to section 317, of new and additional duties on a considerable number of French products will be necessary. The President also feels that use of penalty duties cannot ultimately be avoided if the forthcoming negotiations do not, within a reasonable time, result in suitable arrangement ending discriminations against American trade.
You will please state also that it is only most reluctantly that any consideration has been given to possible use of section 317, and that the Government of the United States is confident that with good will on the part of both sides the matter can be handled so that this Government will not be obliged to take the action in question.
You will emphasize to M. Briand that you are only conveying message to him orally and confidentially in order that possible embarrassment to the French Government may be avoided, and in order that his influence may be exerted to prevent development of an unfortunate situation between the United States and France.
- Supra.↩