611.5731/36
Memorandum by the Acting Chief of the Division of Western European Affairs (Hickerson)
Yesterday Mr. Offerdahl, the Norwegian Chargé, came in to see me and said that he had just received a telegram from his government inquiring whether the American Government would be disposed to carry on with Norway preliminary negotiations respecting the importation tax on whale oil. He stated that he understood preliminary negotiations to mean negotiations prior to regular negotiations looking to a trade agreement.
I told Mr. Offerdahl that I would make inquiries in the Department and give him an answer as soon as possible. This afternoon, after [Page 651] consultation with Mr. Culbertson12 and Mr. Grady,13 I called Mr. Offerdahl on the telephone and informed him substantially as follows: We are not yet in a position to say whether it is possible or feasible to deal with the three cent per pound tax on whale oil under the authority of the Reciprocity Tariff Act.14 Should it prove to be possible and feasible to deal with this tax we could make a reduction only in pursuance of a trade agreement; the maximum limit of such a reduction legally possible would be 50 per cent of the excise tax and of the regular import tax.
In the light of these facts we should appreciate receiving an elaboration showing what the Norwegian Government has in mind in using the term “preliminary negotiations”.
Mr. Offerdahl said that he would telegraph the substance of this information to his government.