711.5712A/7
The Secretary of State to the Norwegian Minister ( Bachke )
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of April 27, 1928, in which you state that the draft treaty of arbitration which was transmitted to you in my communication of March 10, 1928, has had the attention of the Norwegian Government, which now submits an alternative proposal.
As you are, of course, aware, the Government of the United States has recently proposed to no fewer than twenty-seven countries the conclusion of treaties in all respects similar to the one communicated to your Government. Three of these countries, France, Germany and Italy, have signed such treaties with the United States and other countries have signified their willingness to accept them. I have not failed to give due consideration to the proposal of your Government, but I am definitely of the opinion that the Government of the United States should maintain substantial uniformity in the agreements of this character which it enters into with other countries at this time. Accordingly, I entertain the hope that the Government of Norway may, on reconsideration, find itself in a position to accept the treaty in the form proposed.
Accept [etc.]