635.113 Lumber/10
The Chargé in Argentina (White) to
the Secretary of State
No. 1512
Buenos Aires, January 28,
1932.
[Received February 8.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the
Department’s instruction No. 517 of November 13, 1931, File No.
635.003/189,10 directing me to endeavor to obtain removal
of the apparent discrimination against American lumber involved in the
exemption of South American white pine from the additional duty of ten
per cent ad valorem imposed in the Argentine Government’s decree of
October 6. I may also in this connection refer to my despatch No. 1502
of January 15, 1932, on the same subject. I enclose herewith the copies
of the memorandum of the Foreign Office in reply to my representations,
together with a translation of the same, and copies of comments
contained in a note to me from the Commercial Attaché on this
subject.11 Before taking further action, I await the
Department’s instructions.
Respectfully yours,
[Page 386]
[Enclosure—Translation]
The Argentine Ministry for
Foreign Affairs to the American
Embassy
[undated]
[Received January 23, 1932.]
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs takes pleasure in informing the
Embassy of the United States in reply to its memorandum of December
12, 1931, that South American white pine wood included in Section
1216 of the Tariff Valuations, (Tarifa de
Avalúos) has been distinguished from other woods of pine
which have been entered under Section 1217 to 1220 inclusive, by
reason of differences in quality, type, price, etc., and this for
many years without any objection. (observaciónes.) This pine is known under the name of
Brazilian pine, or Paraná pine. The exemption provided by the decree
of the 6th of October of the past year is based, precisely, on said
differences. South American white pine is not similar to any North
American pine, or those included in the other customs
classifications, it being similar only to Siberian pine. As a result
Article 4 of the Treaty of Commerce of 1853 is not applicable in
this case.
