5727/248.
The Acting Secretary of State to the Danish Minister.
Washington , September 4, 1908 .
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your note of the 20th ultimo requesting on behalf of your Government that the certificates of value issued by the “Kjöbenhavns Grosserer Societets Komite” (Committee of the Wholesale Merchants’ Association of Copenhagen) covering merchandise exported from Denmark to the United States be recognized by American customs officers on the same footing as like certificates issued by German chambers of commerce.
In reply I have the honor to inform you that the privileges enjoyed by German chambers of commerce in this respect under the provisions of the existing commercial agreement between the United States and Germany have been extended to the chambers of commerce of several other countries upon its being shown that those organizations enjoyed a governmental or at least quasi-governmental status, by reason of the more or less complete supervision exercised over their operations by the Government. This condition is essential in order to entitle the certificates of value to the same treatment by the appraising officers of the United States as is accorded to those issued by the [Page 342] German chambers of commerce. I have, therefore, the honor to request that you will furnish the department with a statement concerning the organization and operations of the Danish body mentioned in your note, together with copies of the laws in relation thereto. Upon receipt of this information the department will take pleasure in referring the matter for decision and action to the Department of the Treasury.
Accept, etc.,