711.622/104
The German Chargé (Kiep) to the Acting Secretary of State
III A 3479
The German Chargé d’Affaires ad interim has, by direction of his Government, the honor to bring the following to the knowledge of the Acting Secretary of State of the United States:
Under Article XIV a of the Commercial Treaty between the German [Page 924] Reich and the United States of December 8, 1923,59 commercial travelers require a license in order to exercise their business in the Country of the other party to the Treaty. In order to obtain such license, the applicant must, under Article XIVb of the Treaty, obtain from the competent home authorities a certificate as commercial traveler.
In order to be in position to supply the merchants who travel to the United States on business with information on the point as to which American offices can issue the license provided for in the Commercial Treaty for their activities as commercial travelers in the United States, the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Frankfort on the Main, Hanau, sent to the American Consul General in Frankfort an inquiry on the subject. The decision of the State Department of the United States thereon is said to be:
“The Department has been informed by the Department of Commerce that no provision has been made for the issuance of licenses to foreign commercial travellers; or certificates to American commercial travellers; that foreign salesmen coming to the United States are not now required to take out any license, either federal or local, and they are not subject to any tax for the right of carrying on their business in this country. It has therefore been felt that the present situation is as simple and liberal as could be desired and no provision has been made in respect of licenses and certificates.
“With regard to your inquiry as to whether any procedure has yet been specified concerning the form of consular visas provided for in paragraph (b) Article XIV of the Treaty, you are advised that since certificates are not now required of foreign commercial travellers, it has not been deemed necessary for this Government to establish a procedure for the issuance of visas to commercial travellers.”
In order to make it possible to give an official notice of the liberal course which, according to this, is being taken by the United States to the German parties in interest through the German Government, the German Chargé d’Affaires would be thankful to the Acting Secretary of State of the United States for a statement of the course taken by the American officials in allowing German commercial travelers to do business in the United States.
The German Government for its part is ready to see to it that American commercial travelers in Germany hereafter will get a card of occupational identity if they should come without the certificate provided for in the German-American Commercial Treaty so long as the Government of the United States will not in that respect require any more from the German commercial travelers in the United States. Should the office of the United States concerned make that assent officially known, the German Chargé d’Affaires would be very thankful to be given the wording of the published notice on the subject.