811.801/704
Memorandum by the Assistant to the Legal Adviser (Vallance)
Mr. Herbert Blankenhorn, Third Secretary of the German Embassy, called on me this morning regarding the bill which was pending at the last session of Congress known as the “Cruises to Nowhere” Bill. He asked whether this bill had been rejected by the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries or filed with no action taken on it by them. I told Mr. Blankenhorn that it was my understanding that no action had been taken on this bill by the Committee. He asked whether it was likely to come up at the next session of Congress and I told him that I had no information indicating that it would be given consideration, that it depended upon whether the American steamship owners operating cruises to the West Indies were sufficiently interested to press for action at the forthcoming session. Mr. Blankenhorn referred to the strike situation and added that if it continued there probably would not be sufficient American ships available to engage in this traffic.