651.113/134: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Straus) to the Acting Secretary of State
353. My 342, July 26, 6 p.m. This morning in order to check up on the rumor that a 15% surtax was to be immediately applied to American products I telephoned Léger at the Foreign Office. He said that there is no immediate danger if he can control the situation; that the French Government is now in negotiation for a new commercial treaty with England; that the 15% had been applied to English products and that England was [protesting] which made the situation for France rather difficult; but that he had referred the matter to the Ministry of Commerce which was pressing it with the request that decision be deferred until a complete examination of the situation [could be made and the result of that examination could be submitted to the Ministry. Léger expressed] himself as hopeful that no decision would be reached before several weeks and that in any case if a decision were to be taken he would communicate with me.
- Corrected from confirmation copy received September 12.↩