611.60 f 31/21
The Chargé in Czechoslovakia (Pearson) to the Secretary of
State
Prague, December 9,
1924.
[Received January 6, 1925.]
No. 746
Sir: Referring to the Department’s instruction
No. 212 of October 13, 19242 directing the Legation to take steps with a view to
renewing indefinitely the commercial agreement concluded October 29,
1923, between the United States and this country,3 and to the Legation’s telegram No. 48,
December 5, 4 p.m.,2
stating that it had been renewed “until the conclusion of a definitive
treaty of commerce”, I have the honor to transmit herewith a translation
and copies of the Foreign Office Note on this subject, as well as copies
of my own. In this connection I venture to observe that the interested
Czechoslovak authorities objected to renewing the treaty “indefinitely”
on the ground that the use of this word might seem to imply
unwillingness on the part of the United States to conclude, eventually,
a definitive treaty of commerce; and that in view of the Department’s
desire to renew the existing agreement for an indefinite period and of
its wish to negotiate a comprehensive commercial treaty with this
country, it seemed more desirable to prolong the agreement at once, for
what is in effect an indefinite period, than, through insistence upon
the use of the word “indefinitely”, to incur the risk, which the
prospective absence of the competent Foreign Office officials
appreciably increased, that the actual agreement expire before renewal
with consequent injury to American interests.
I have [etc.]
[Page 616]
[Enclosure 1]
The American Chargé (Pearson) to the Czechoslovak Minister for Foreign
Affairs (Beneš)
Prague, December 5,
1924.
No. 628
Mr. Minister: I have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency’s note of this day, by
which you were good enough to inform me that your Government desires
to prolong the commercial arrangement between Czechoslovakia and the
United States concluded on October 29, 1923, and which not having
been denounced before that date was to remain effective until
December 31, 1924.
The Government of the United States being animated by the same
intentions is in entire agreement with the proposition of the
Czechoslovak Government.
Under these circumstances I have the honor to inform Your Excellency
that my Government considers the agreement in question prolonged as
from the exchange of the present notes until the conclusion of a
definitive treaty of commerce, under the reservation, however, that
each of the High Contracting Parties be empowered to denounce this
agreement on condition that it give thirty days advance notice of
such denunciation.
Accept [etc.]
[Enclosure
2—Translation]
The Czechoslovak Minister for Foreign
Affairs (Beneš) to the American
Chargé (Pearson)
Prague, December 5,
1924.
No. 198.805/24
Monsieur le Chargé d’affaires: I have the
honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of this day, by which
you were good enough; to inform me that your Government desires to
prolong the commercial arrangement between the United States and
Czechoslovakia, concluded on October 29, 1923, and, which not having
been denounced before that date was to remain effective until
December 31, 1924.
The Government of Czechoslovakia being animated by the same
intentions is in entire agreement with the proposition of the United
States Government.
Under these circumstances I have the honor to inform you, Monsieur le
Chargé d’Affaires, that my Government considers the agreement in
question prolonged as from the exchange of the present notes until
the conclusion of a definitive treaty of commerce, under the
reservation, however, that each of the High Contracting Parties can
denounce this agreement on condition that it gives thirty days
advance notice of such denunciation.
I avail myself [etc.]
