711.574/10

The Minister in Norway ( Swenson ) to the Secretary of State

No. 1602

Sir: With reference to the Department’s instruction No. 495, of December 13, 1929,2 I have the honor to enclose a copy of a note which I addressed to the Foreign Office under date of January 10, 1930, on the subject of concluding a treaty with Norway exempting certain persons from military duty, etc.3 I discussed the matter orally with the Minister for Foreign Affairs with the result that he promised to recommend a reconsideration by the Department of Defence with a view to acceding to the wishes of the United States for a specific agreement.

I am now in receipt of a reply, dated the 7th instant, a copy of which is transmitted herewith,3 stating that in deference to this urgent suggestion the Department of Defence is willing to consent that hereafter the cases in question be governed by a special agreement. Mr. Mowinckel4 declares that the Norwegian Government stands ready to enter into such agreement, setting forth the form thereof, which it will be observed is the same as that contained in the Department’s original instruction, No. 442, of December 1, 1928,5 paragraph 3, with the addition that the stay is to be considered as temporary provided it does not exceed two years. It is also suggested that the proposed agreement be made effective from July 1, 1930, in case this is acceptable to the United States. The Minister adds that the arrangement will be considered as having been concluded as soon as a favorable reply is received from me.

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I have this day acknowledged the receipt of the note under report, expressing my sincere appreciation of the accommodating attitude shown by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and his colleague the Minister of Defence, and stating that I shall revert to the subject as soon as I have heard from the Department of State.

I have [etc.]

Laurits S. Swenson
  1. Ibid., p. 474.
  2. Not printed.
  3. Not printed.
  4. Johan Ludwig Mowinckel, Norwegian Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs.
  5. See instruction No. 167, December 1, 1928, to the Ambassador in Belgium, Foreign Relations, 1928, vol. i, p. 497.