611.5131/924: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Edge) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5:45 p.m.]
710. Reference Department’s telegram No. 429, December 9, 6 p.m. The Embassy fully appreciates the difficulty of indefinitely deferring promulgation of the dress samples decree and is doing everything in its power to hasten action concerning the copper reclassification. We earnestly hope Treasury will withhold promulgation as to do otherwise at this time might easily be misunderstood in several directions.
[Page 261]The Ministry for Foreign Affairs stated to the Embassy’s representative this morning that on Saturday it communicated in writing with the Ministry of Finance once more emphasizing the Embassy’s insistence upon a definite reply. Since then it has been impossible to reach any competent official of Finance nor is there any apparent hope of being able to do so until the immediate pressure of work on the debt question has passed. I am nevertheless continuing to keep the matter actively before the Government.