Office of the Historian

701.0611/387

The Ambassador in France (Edge) to the Secretary of State

No. 2587
Paris, May 19, 1932.
[Received May 28.]

Sir: The Embassy has the honor to refer to its telegram No. 351 of November 3/5 p.m., 1930, stating that it desired to reopen negotiations for the exemption of Embassy clerks from the French income tax.

I am glad now to be able to report that the Embassy’s efforts in that direction have been successful. There is attached hereto in copy and translation a note from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, dated May 12, 1932, stating that the necessary measures are about to be [Page 275] taken to exempt the non-commissioned personnel from direct taxation of a personal nature. This exemption will be subject to the clerks engaging in no outside employment and to reciprocal treatment on the part of the Government of the United States as concerns employees of the French Embassy at Washington. The Embassy in Paris had been able to assure the Ministry for Foreign Affairs as regards this latter proviso, in virtue of the information furnished in the Department’s telegram No. 290 of November 10/3 p.m., 1930, and its Diplomatic Serial Instruction No. 436.

The exemption granted by the French Government extends in principle not only to American employees but as well to foreign personnel, other than French, of the Embassy. The list of clerks and other employees, referred to by the Foreign Office as having been submitted by the Embassy, embraces chancery personnel, including couriers, of the Embassy and of the offices of the Commercial, Military, Naval and Treasury Attaches. It may thus be seen that the Embassy’s request has been met in full measure.

Respectfully yours,

Walter E. Edge
[Enclosure—Translation]

The French Ministry for Foreign Affairs to the American Embassy

In reply to a note of May 6th (No. 1735) the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has the honor to inform the Embassy of the United States of America that the necessary measures are going to be taken in order to exempt from the payment of direct taxes of a personal nature the foreign employees whose names appear on the list forwarded by the Embassy on December 17, 1931.

This exemption will be granted them as long as they restrict themselves to their official duties at the Embassy, and under the condition that reciprocal treatment is accorded the employees of the French Mission at Washington.

Paris, May 12, 1932.