367.1164/128
The Ambassador in Turkey (Grew) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received February 27.]
Sir: With reference to Paragraph 5 of the Department’s telegram No. 6 of February 3, 6 p.m., answering my despatch No. 910 of January 8, 1930,33 regarding the prospect of the possible levying of the so-called Inheritance and Bequest Tax on the income of American educational and philanthropic institutions in Turkey, I have the honor to inform the Department that inquiries of the British, French, German and Italian Embassies have not revealed any steps on the part of the Turkish fiscal authorities to impose this tax on the educational and philanthropic institutions of their respective nationals. No preventative steps are therefore being taken by these Embassies.
As no developments in this matter, so far as the American institutions are concerned, have occurred since my last despatch was written, I have not felt it necessary to take further steps and am hoping that my letter to Tevfik Rüştü Bey may have resulted in the whole matter having been quietly dropped. I am, however, prepared to act at any moment in case of further adverse developments and I appreciate the Department’s approval of the steps already taken as well [as?] of my provisional recommendations for possible future action.
I have [etc.]
- Despatch not printed.↩