611.5131/514: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Herrick) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 24—noon.]
130. My No. 128, March 22, 6 p.m. In further conversation on tariff with M. Serruys, Director of Commercial Agreements in the [Page 632] Ministry of Commerce, the commercial attaché was told that France would welcome a general readjustment of commercial relations which would include both a commercial convention and a consular convention.
M. Serruys feels, however, that new tariff should become law before negotiations are begun.
If you agree that initiation of negotiations should start shortly after enactment of the new tariff I suggest that preliminary studies be made now.
I might point out, however, that while French say that they could give de facto most-favored-nation treatment this would not be done by exchange of minimum tariff for minimum tariff, reciprocally, but on basis of special concessions for ascertained concessions. They believe that the adjustments which we shall have to make on our side could be accomplished by taking action under section 315 of Tariff Act of 1922;24 in return for these modifications they would give us their minimum rates on all articles which are of interest to us, or in some rates, perhaps below the minimum set by the law.
Please inform Department of Commerce of foregoing.
- 42 Stat. 858, 941.↩