711.569/16
The Secretary of State to the Netherland Minister (De Graeff)
The Secretary of State presents his compliments to the Netherlands Minister and acknowledges the receipt of his communication of June 12, 1924, in which there are set forth certain modifications proposed by the Netherlands Government of the draft of the convention submitted by the Government of the United States with respect to the prevention of smuggling of intoxicating liquors into the United States.
The Government of the United States deems it of great importance that the treaties of the United States on this subject should not substantially differ. Uniformity is regarded as desirable as a means of establishing one set of regulations for the guidance of the appropriate authorities charged with the duty of enforcement of prohibitions against smuggling, and who could not without great confusion consider differences with respect to vessels of different flags. Uniformity of tenor is deemed important also with respect to other matters, such as privileges of foreign vessels in American waters, the adjustment of differences by arbitration, and the mode of amendment or termination of the treaty. Treaties similar to that submitted to the Netherlands Government have been concluded with certain other Governments; and one with Great Britain is now in force. It is, therefore, the hope of the Secretary of State that the Netherlands Government may understand that, while the Government of the United States has every disposition to conclude a treaty with the Netherlands Government similar to the British treaty and the conventions recently signed in behalf of Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Italy, it finds obstacles in the way of the acceptance of a convention embracing the modifications proposed by the Netherlands Government in its recent communication, save with respect to the matter of languages. The Government of the United States is, of course, happy to accede to the wish of the Netherlands Government that the treaty be concluded in the Dutch and English languages.