811.61248A/75: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in the Union of South Africa (Totten)
7. The Department has cooperated with the Department of Commerce in the preparation of its most recent instructions to Day10 regarding efforts to offset false impression created by … Kohler11 and others and relies upon you and the consular officers to assist him where possible without, however, entering into any public controversy. We suggested that the South African Government, instead of sending costly mission or employing costly surveyors, might instruct its legation to prepare a complete survey, and offered the services of this government to assist it.… We have recently, as in the past, conferred with the Department of Agriculture, impressing upon it the danger of needlessly strict decisions, and are now promised that its experimental work will be expedited.
To any inquiries regarding a trade agreement with the United States you may say that, while close study has been and is being given to this question, it has not been found practicable up to this time to invite the Government of South Africa to negotiate an agreement. It should be pointed out again that South Africa benefits directly and indirectly from most-favored-nation treatment and other features of our policies and program.
Please inform De Courcy in response to his telegram of August 2512 that the South African Minister under date of August 24, 1936, has [Page 869] written an informal letter to me discussing both wine and fruit matters. For your confidential information this long letter contains veiled threats that his government may take unfavorable action if the Department of Agriculture does not, after its investigations are completed, accept the South African chilling methods.