File No. 611.627/421.
The German Ambassador to the Secretary of State.
Washington, May 1, 1911.
Mr. Secretary of State: In reply to your excellency’s courteous note of the 27th ultimo relative to the potash question I have, by direction of my Government, the honor to say that the German interests have been advised that Brussels has been chosen for the place and May 15 set for the date of the beginning of the conference.
The desire that the collection of the excess production tax be again postponed places the Imperial Government in a difficult position, as it is to be expected that the Reichstag will sharply criticize the non-collection as illegal.
At the same time my Government will, to accommodate the Government of the United States and facilitate the Brussels negotiations, postpone the forcible collection of the taxes from the potash mines until June 1 next. On legal grounds, however, it must immediately serve notice to pay on the mines.
The Imperial Government regrets its inability to postpone the collection beyond the 1st of June. Besides, the collection of the taxes already due under the law would not prevent the taxes from being later reduced in accordance with section 46 of the potash law and the remitted part thereof from being refunded.
Accept, etc.,