611.573 Whale Oil/15
Memorandum of a Conversation Between the Assistant Secretary of State (Sayre), the Assistant Chief of the Division of Western European Affairs (Hickerson), and the Norwegian Minister (Morgenstierne)
The Norwegian Minister came in this afternoon and handed Mr. Sayre a copy of H. R. 7373, which was introduced in the House of Representatives on April 9, 1935, by Mr. Tonry, to repeal the excise tax on whale oil; this Bill is attached.7 Mr. Morgenstierne also handed Mr. Sayre the attached memorandum prepared by Norwegian interests8 listing thirteen reasons why the whale oil tax should be repealed. Mr. Morgenstierne stressed particularly points 3 and 4 on this memorandum dealing with the substitution in the markets of Europe of whale oil which formerly went into soap making in the United States for American cottonseed oil. He pointed out that in his opinion this was a very importment [important] argument in favor of the repeal of the excise tax on whale oil.
Mr. Morgenstierne inquired whether there had been any news from the White House on whale oil. Mr. Sayre replied that the Secretary has not yet been able to discuss whale oil with the President but has asked for an appointment to do so.