File No. 611.627/380.
The Secretary of State to the German Ambassador.
Washington, April 8, 1911.
Excellency: I have the honor to acknowledge your excellency’s courteous note of March 29 communicating, etc.
Your excellency may feel assured of the desire on the part of the Government of the United States to see entirely eliminated that degree of friction which has been apparent in certain of the commercial relations of the United States and Germany between widely extended and important interests affecting the welfare of citizens of both countries. It is through a desire to promote in the most amicable manner the mutually advantageous trade between citizens of both countries that has from the first actuated me to endeavor most patiently to find a means acceptable to both Governments by which the present unfortunate divergence between those engaged in the production of potash in Germany and those having to do with the distribution and sale of potash in the United States might be composed to the satisfaction of all interested.
[Page 236]To this end I have urged upon the American contractors and the American owners of the Sollstedt mine, of which corporation Mr. Waldemar Schmidtmann is the president, that they approach the proposed conference in a conciliatory attitude, and I have the honor to state that the American interests have joined in an expression of their desire to meet the German representatives in such friendly spirit as will promote an adjustment of differences on a fair basis of settlement.
In view of the fact to which your excellency makes reference that the collection of the excess-production taxes which have been paid by the American interests under protest since May 28, 1910, can not be much longer deferred, on account of the impending expiration of the term of limitation, and in view of the apprehension expressed by you that the Reichstag convening on May 2 may order the immediate collection of these taxes, I am led to propose that the conference may be held during the present month not later than the 24th. After consultation with the American parties I respectfully urge the expediency as well as the propriety of naming the city of New York, instead of Brussels, as the place of conference. Opposed to the desire that naturally might suggest a neutral capital as the place of meeting is the apparently more important consideration of the inconvenience of the many American citizens interested, to whom the loss of time and the expenditure involved in a trip of their representatives to Brussels would be of material import. A number of them have heretofore vainly endeavored to reach a settlement in Berlin. They feel that it is asking too much of them now to take the time for a conference so far away from their occupations. As the case is presented to me it would appear that not less than 12, and possibly more, representatives on behalf of the Americans would be obliged to attend the conference as properly representing the American interests. These interests urge that New York be decided upon as the place of meeting. They represent that no more than two or three representatives of the German Potash Syndicate and the Aschersleben mine are likely to attend the conference. I am, therefore, impelled to request, as most proper under the circumstances, that New York City be agreed upon as the place of conference, and that the date be fixed as near the 24th of April as may be convenient.
I have the honor to suggest that the substance of this request, in which I trust that it will be quite consistent for your excellency to join, be cabled to your Government, in the hope that a final decision may be reached with the least possible delay.
Accept, etc.,