660c.116/45
The Minister in Poland (Stetson) to
the Secretary of State
Warsaw, August 23,
1927.
[Received September 12.]
No. 1206
Sir: In amplification of the Legation’s
telegraphic despatch No. 58, August 23, 1927, 11 a.m.,5 I now have the honor to
transmit herewith copy of a note which I have forwarded to the Polish
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with regard to the question of the
allocation of import licenses for American goods imported into Poland,
in particular motor cars, tires and tubes.
Prior to presenting the note in question I had a conversation with Mr.
Knoll, the Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs, with regard to the
matter treated of therein. Mr. Knoll told me that Marshal
Pilsudski,6 Mr. Bartel, the Vice Premier, and Mr. Kwiatkowski, the
Minister of Commerce, had all come to the conclusion that the contingent
system was not producing the results they had expected, for which reason
they had decided that it must be done away with as soon as possible. He
went on to say that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been from the
first somewhat skeptical of the contingent system working out
satisfactorily, but that they always found it
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difficult to prevail upon the Ministry of Commerce
to accept their point of view in matters relating to commerce.
Mr. Knoll, however, either was unable or did not see fit to furnish me
with any information as to when contingents would be done away with of
as to what system would be inaugurated to replace the present one.
Further conversation with Mr. Knoll confirmed what I had already heard,
namely, that other countries besides ourselves are pressing the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs with a view to securing something more than the
present contingent system grants them. I refer in particular to the
Italian Government which, I understand, has been and is continuing to
encounter great difficulties with regard to securing a sufficient
contingent to permit them to export their oranges to Poland.
Mr. Knoll asked me to make the note that I told him I was about to send
him as strong as possible, as that would strengthen his hand in his
dealings with Marshal Pilsudski, Mr. Bartel and the Ministry of
Commerce.
I impressed upon Mr. Knoll that at the present moment we were
particularly interested in getting additional contingents for motor
cars, tires and tubes. I pointed out that the sale of motor cars, tires
and tubes was to a large extent dependent upon the season and that
unless an additional contingent would be secured at once the
manufacturers of the articles in question would lose their best
opportunity of disposing of their goods in Poland. Mr. Knoll assured me
that he would do his utmost to secure for us at an early date the
additional contingents requested.
I am not particularly hopeful that anything concrete will come of the
Legation’s representations in this matter, although I feel that the fact
that we and other governments are keeping after the Poles will make them
realize sooner or later that a change in their economic and commercial
system, so as to accord most favored nation treatment to the goods of
all nations, will be to their advantage in the long run.
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure]
The American Minister (Stetson) to the Polish Acting Minister for Foreign
Affairs (Knoll)
Warsaw, August 18,
1927.
No. 795
Excellency: I have the honor to inform Your
Excellency that the Warsaw representative of the Goodyear Tires
Company has brought to the attention of the Legation the fact that,
while he had requested that he be permitted to import 110,000 kilos
of automobile tires and
[Page 617]
tubes during the third quarter of the present year, import permits
covering only 13,000 kilos were granted him. The Legation further
understands, from a reliable source, that the Dunlop Tire Company, a
British concern, and the French Michelin Company, have each received
import permits covering approximately 75,000 kilos for the same
period.
The Modus Vivendi of 1925 between Poland and
the United States stipulates that “in the matter of licensing or
prohibitions of imports or exports, Poland and the United States,
respectively, so far as they at any time maintain such a system,
will accord to the commerce of the other treatment as favorable,
with respect to commodities, valuations and quantities, as may be
accorded to the commerce of any other country” and “every concession
with respect to any duty, charge or regulation affecting commerce
now accorded or that may hereafter be accorded by the United States
or by Poland by law, proclamation, decree or commercial treaty or
agreement to any foreign country will become immediately applicable
without request and without compensation to the commerce of Poland
and of the United States and its territories and possessions
respectively.”
Under the foregoing provisions permits should be granted for
importation of American automobile tires into Poland in at least as
large a quantity as of English or French tires.
My Government has directed me to bring the foregoing to the attention
of Your Excellency’s Government, and to protest against what it
considers discrimination against American trade, in contravention of
the terms of the Modus Vivendi of 1925. In
the absence of facts and figures proving the contrary, my Government
is obliged to believe that such discrimination really does exist. My
Government is confident, however, that following an examination of
the facts of the situation the Polish Government will immediately
take the necessary steps to insure that the rights to which imports
from the United States are entitled under the terms of the Modus Vivendi between the two countries are
in fact fully guaranteed.
The Legation is unable to consider as final Your Excellency’s note of
July 21st last, relative to contingents for the importation of
American motor cars. While I appreciate Your Excellency’s statement
that the Polish Government is examining the situation with a view to
granting a special contingent for the importation of American motor
cars, I feel I must reiterate to Your Excellency that the sale of
motor cars in Poland is largely dependent on the season of the year,
and that unless the special contingent Your Excellency mentions is
forthcoming at an early date the American manufacturers interested
will lose the opportunity of disposing of their cars which an early
granting of such a contingent would have insured them.
[Page 618]
With regard to the system under which contingents are granted, the
memorandum accompanying Your Excellency’s note leaves me with the
impression that it is the policy of the Polish Government not to
publish but to keep secret the data relating to the granting and
establishing of such contingents, such as the number of licenses
issued, the nationality of the person to whom issued, etc., which in
itself amounts to a deterrent to healthy trade. This is unfortunate,
more especially in view of the policy of my Government of making
public all information regarding imports into and exports from the
United States and its territories, and certainly lends weight to the
belief that there does exist discrimination against American
products in Poland, in the matter of granting import licenses.
Accept [etc.]
