659.11241/13

The Minister in Denmark (Dodge) to the Secretary of State

No. 795

Sir: Referring to my Despatch No. 792 of the 2nd instant, relative to the inability of the Danish Government to agree to the extension of the privilege of free importation to American and Danish Consular Officers in the country of the other, I have the honor to inform you that in the course of a conversation to-day with Dr. Moltesen, the Foreign Minister, I referred to his note, of which a copy and translation were enclosed in my Despatch above referred to, and he stated that he regretted greatly that the Ministry of Finance had found itself unable to agree to my Government’s proposal.

In a conversation also to-day with Count Reventlow, Director General of the Foreign Office, I also referred to Dr. Moltesen’s note. Count Reventlow replied that he shared my regret and that in order if possible to obtain the agreement of the Ministry of Finance, he had gone further than he usually went in matters concerning another Ministry. Count Reventlow then, in reply to my enquiry regarding the reasons for the decision of the Finance Ministry, practically repeated the reasons which he had previously stated as reported in Mr. Paddock’s Despatch No. 551 of July 21st and in my Despatches Nos. 695 of December 20th, 1928 and 736 of February 15th last. I may repeat these briefly as follows: new legislation would be necessary to permit the Government to consent to the proposed agreement and this would necessitate an alteration of the customs tariff. Any proposal for the alteration of the customs tariff was certain to lead to many other such propositions and accordingly to considerable difficulties for the Government. If this agreement were to be made with the American Government, it would also have to be extended to the Consular Officers of all other countries, thus leading to a slight but still perceptible diminution of customs revenue. Any such diminution at the present time, when there was much complaint about high taxes, in favor of a particular class of officials would be unpopular. Further, as the number of persons enjoying freedom of customs would be considerably increased by such an agreement the difficulty of supervising their imports would be increased as also the opportunities for the abuse of this privilege.

There can be no doubt that the Foreign Office has been anxious to agree to the Department’s proposal and that only the opposition of the Ministry of Finance has prevented this proposal from being accepted.

I have [etc.]

H. Percival Dodge