811.111 Vessels/5124

Memorandum by the Assistant Chief of the Visa Division (Coulter)

A letter dated January 16, 19341 was addressed to Mr. Hodgdon2 by Mr. McCormick-Goodhart of the British Embassy regarding the regulations of the Department of Labor relating to seamen.

Mr. Coulter telephoned Mr. McCormick-Goodhart to explain that the Department does not have a copy of the regulations of the Department of Labor but that the whole subject is now being considered by the Solicitors of that Department and that a final decision is expected to be reached within the next ten days. Mr. McCormick-Goodhart asked that he be advised when a decision is reached in order that the matter may then be considered further. He stated confidentially that a communication had been received from the British Consul General at New York reciting a number of instances in which the Furness-Withy and other British steamship lines had encountered difficulties owing to the regulations. He said that the suggestion had been made to the lines to bring the matter to the attention of the Foreign Office but that it would be desirable to avoid any formal communication of protest. Mr. Coulter explained that pending the conclusion of the matter an arrangement had been agreed upon whereby the Department of State would authorize consular officers to issue visas or transit certificates in individual cases if satisfied of the bona fides of the seamen and that two of the cases mentioned by him had already been taken care of in this way. Mr. McCormick-Goodhart inquired whether the Consul General in London would issue visas without referring the matter to the Department. Mr. Coulter said that the procedure had been to have the cases brought to the attention of the Department by the Foreign Mission or by the steamship company or its agent or by the Consul in order that instructions might be issued in each case and he suggested that the Embassy might wish to bring to the attention of the Consul General at New York the arrangement under which particular cases are being taken care of.

[Page 749]

Mr. Coulter promised to inform Mr. McCormick-Goodhart when a decision is reached by the Department of Labor in the matter.

E[liot] B. C[oulter]
  1. Not printed.
  2. A. Dana Hodgdon, Chief of the Visa Division.