Office of the Historian

811.114 Belgium/148a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Belgium (Morris)

Washington, October 19, 1935—11 a.m.

74. For Commander Thompson from Hickerson.63 Inform Belgian and Netherlands authorities that cooperation received from other Governments has practically stamped out large-scale smuggling operations [Page 434] except for European sources, that smuggling is a menace to all nations, that this Government, under the provisions of the recent Anti-Smuggling Act,64 is ready and willing to cooperate with other nations in suppressing smuggling.

You might also state that liquor treaties concluded with Belgium in 1927 [1925]65 and Netherlands in 192466 are evidence of mutual desire to adjust difficulties of this nature by friendly negotiation and that in accordance with these treaties Belgian and Dutch ships were permitted to bring liquor cargoes into our ports; that these countries should now take measures to insure delivery of spirits through lawful trade channels.

During 1934 Belgium exported 12,566 proof gallons alcoholic beverages to the United States, whereas during the first 8 months of present year only 2,289 proof gallons have been imported, indicating that manufacture of cheap liquors made from smuggled alcohol competes with legitimate products. Similar figures for Netherlands are 53,418 and 6,326 proof gallons. The inferior product marketed frequently under Belgian and Dutch trade names is also detrimental to the standing of legitimate products of Belgium and Holland which thereby lose their reputation for quality in the opinion of American consumers.

Furthermore, the cordial relations existing for so many years between United States and Belgium and the Netherlands, together with the “good neighbor” policy of the President, seem to warrant action by those Governments to prevent the use of their ports and facilities in furtherance of the violation of laws of a friendly country.

Hull
  1. John D. Hickerson, Assistant Chief of the Division of Western European Affairs.↩
  2. Approved August 5, 1935; 49 Stat. 517.↩
  3. Foreign Relations, 1925, vol. i, p. 518.↩
  4. Ibid., 1924, vol. i, p. 200.↩