611.623/140: Telegram
The Chargé in Germany (Mayer) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 12—8:45 a.m.]
176. During a conversation last evening with Ministerial Director Wohlthat who is in charge of the Reich foreign exchange office, Ministry of Economics, he brought up the subject of the recent decision respecting countervailing duties (see Department’s circular instruction June 5, 3 p.m.36). He recalled the questionnaire (see our 92, March 24, 1 p.m.) and had hoped that it had convinced our Government that Germany was not applying to the United States the subsidy practices which prevailed with other countries and to which we objected.
Wohlthat felt it most unfortunate anything of the nature of the countervailing duties should arise between the two countries. He said he was at a loss to understand the basis for the action and was contemplating the desirability of sending some one from here to go into the whole matter at Washington with a view to clarifying the situation and trying to make a satisfactory arrangement. Wohlthat said that he was in some quandary as to the method or procedure and asked my personal opinion. I said that I, of course, shared his desire to have difficulties removed and that if he wished to initiate something along the line of his remarks he might ask the Foreign Office to instruct the German Embassy at Washington to discuss with the Department the desirability of having some one come from here to go into the matter. While Wohlthat did not say so definitely I got the impression that he might do something of this sort. For this reason it seems best to give you this summary of our conversation and also you might wish me to pass the word on to him informally that you would be agreeable to his idea if it should be carried out in the manner I suggested.
- Not printed.↩