611.629Ruhr/15: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France (Herrick)
173. Your 215, April 24, 4 p.m.
If the points enumerated in Department’s 161, April 16, 6 P.M. [April 19, 5 p.m.], have been made quite clear, the Department fails to understand the attitude of the Foreign Office in the matter. Since informal representation seems to be ineffectual, you should address a note in the following sense:
“I am instructed by my Government once more to bring urgently to your attention the clear discrimination against American nationals in the recent regulations whereby American traders desiring to export goods from the Ruhr are compelled to secure from the Embassy in Paris a certification of their request for an export license, whereas nationals of countries represented on the Rhineland High Commission may obtain such certification from their representatives in Coblenz.
My Government has not complained of the French demand for official certification and is, indeed, appreciative of the expressed desire of the French Government to facilitate trade in the occupied territories, but protests solely against what appears to it as the obviously unfair discrimination enforcing American purchasers, at additional expense and delay, to attend to a part of the necessary [Page 204] formalities at such considerable distance from the licensing office. Not only does this put American traders at a disadvantage financially, but it causes confusion and criticism and will inevitably have an unfortunate effect on American public opinion.
My Government, therefore, earnestly requests the French Government to extend to American traders facilities equal to those enjoyed by traders whose Governments are represented on the Rhineland High Commission by accepting, in lieu of diplomatic certification on applications for licenses, the certification of the American consul in Coblenz.
As soon as the French Government shall have accepted this clearly equitable arrangement, my Government will instruct the consul at Coblenz as to means of procedure in accord with French regulations.”
You should deliver this note in person, making clear the very great interest of the Department in a prompt and equitable settlement of the matter.