811.512351Double/94: Telegram
The Chargé in France (Armour) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 3—3:25 p.m.]
392. Please deliver the following message to Ambassador Edge:
“No answer having been received from Tardieu to your letter of October 15 proposing an armistice with regard to further levying and collection of taxes on American firms, I took the matter up with Campana at Foreign Office and he has just informed me that he has spoken with the Ministry of Commerce as well as with Borduge. While Borduge hesitates to give any definite assurance he went so far as to say to Campana that the public prosecutor in the Boston Blacking case had intimated that the case was about to be called but Borduge had asked him not to proceed at this time. While, of course, the court is independent and no guarantees can therefore be given, from the way Borduge spoke to [apparent omission] it seems unlikely that they will proceed with the Boston Blacking case for the present at least. With regard to the assurance concerning levying against other firms, while Campana states that they are not in a position to give definite assurances, I gathered from the way he spoke that he felt that we are pretty safe in considering that the armistice will continue at least until your return.
In his talk at the Ministry of Commerce, Campana pointed out the advantages to their Department in seeing to it that your request be granted and it seems probable that the Minister of Commerce will make personal representations to the Minister of Finance in support of your proposal which also has the warm support of the Foreign Office.”