611.5731/120

Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State (Sayre)

The Norwegian Minister called to say that he had been instructed by his Government to propose the entering into negotiations for a trade agreement with this Government, but that his Government hoped very much that the whale oil question could be cleared up before negotiations were entered into because of the feeling of irritation in Norway over the action by the United States in imposing an excise tax on whale oil last year. He said that he was expecting to see the Secretary on Friday to deliver this message to him.

F[rancis] B. S[ayre]