659.11241/9
The Minister in Denmark (Dodge) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 22, 1929.]
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt on October 5th last of your Instruction No. 115, File No. 659.11241/6, dated September 17th, last, in further relation to the question of the extension of the privileges of free importation to American and Danish Consular Officers in the country of the other under the provisions of the Convention of 1826 between the United States and Denmark.
Upon the receipt of your instruction I had an interview with Count Reventlow, Director General of the Foreign Office, whom I advised of its substance. Count Reventlow informed me that this question of the extension of free importation privileges to American and Danish Consular Officers was still receiving the earnest consideration of the Ministry of Finance to whom the new information now furnished by my Government concerning the meaning of the word “imposts” would be communicated. He would also continue to give this matter his consideration. Count Reventlow then requested me to discuss the matter with Mr. Nørgaard, the new Director of the Protocol, to whom such matters had now been transferred. I immediately called upon Mr. Nørgaard, who had only just taken up his new duties and whom I found entirely ignorant of the question. I explained it fully to him and left with him a copy of the material portion of your Instruction No. 115. Mr. Nørgaard appeared to be considerably interested in the matter which he admitted would have even greater practical benefits for the Danish than the American Consular Officers. He promised to bring this last communication on the subject to the attention of the proper authorities of the Ministry of Finance and to do what he could to hasten a satisfactory decision by them.
During the next two months both Mr. Paddock, during my absence on leave, and I continued enquiring at reasonable intervals regarding the decision of the Ministry of Finance. The answer was always that no decision had yet been made but that the matter was still receiving earnest consideration. Finally a few days ago during a conversation with Count Reventlow, I again brought up this subject. Count Reventlow replied that he could only give me the same reply. I thereupon stated my surprise that the matter should require such prolonged study, especially as it was more beneficial to Denmark than to the United States. Count Reventlow fully admitted this and declared that if the Foreign Office could settle this matter alone, it would have done so favorably to my Government’s proposal long ago. He then repeated [Page 740] several of the arguments already reported in Mr. Paddock’s Despatch No. 551 of July 21st last. The question, since it concerned customs duties, was one mainly for the Ministry of Finance which was always very much averse to touching anything concerning this subject. This was mainly because whenever a question of customs duties was touched, it inevitably gave rise to a large number of demands for further changes. The Foreign Office was consequently obliged to act with great prudence and tact if it wished to obtain a favorable decision in a matter of this kind from the Ministry of Finance. If the Foreign Office attempted to force a decision of the Ministry of Finance on this question, the decision would practically certainly be contrary to the extension of the free importation privilege. The best way to obtain the consent of this Ministry was to let it take its time.
I then reminded Count Reventlow that my Government considered that this question was covered by the Convention of 1826 and had submitted strong evidence in support of its view. Count Reventlow replied that his Government, after much consideration, had decided that it could not accept this view and would soon send me a communication giving its reasons. I asked whether he could not mention them to me briefly but he replied that he was unable to at the moment. He added that he regretted the delay, which under the circumstances was inevitable, if the refusal of the Ministry of Finance was to be avoided, and repeated that the Foreign Office was strongly in favor of a reciprocal arrangement such as that proposed in your Instruction No. 90 of April 5th last. However, it was still uncertain whether it would be able to obtain the consent of the Finance Ministry to conclude such an arrangement.
While adding that I shall continue to make enquiries at the Foreign Office at reasonable intervals regarding this matter and that I shall do whatever I can to expedite a favorable decision, I have [etc.]