195 Code/106
Memorandum by the Secretary of State
The Danish Minister called and handed to me the annexed statement,22 signed by him, and in the nature of a complaint against certain code provisions relating to foreign shipping and to the effect that such code provisions would be in conflict with treaties and generally recognized principles of international law. The specific complaint in this respect seemed to relate to rates on commerce originating in the United States and destined to foreign countries. I told the Minister that I would have the matter given careful consideration. He then offered an oral request that the recent Joint Resolution23 passed through Congress and providing that all United States freight should be carried on American bottoms, could and should be well looked into by us, and that he hoped we would do so on account of its possible reactionary effects of an unfavorable nature upon other countries with Merchant Marines. I replied that I would be glad to see just what the status of that matter was.