611.3931/69
The Chargé in the Dominican Republic (Atwood) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 15.]
Sir: Supplementing my despatch No. 3665 of December 8, 1936, in relation to the extension of most-favored-nation treatment to certain American products similar to those identified by brands or trade names in the Franco-Dominican Trade Agreement, I have the honor to enclose copy of a communication, dated December 10, 1936,22 received today from the General Receiver of Dominican Customs enclosing copy of communication No. 14212 [14213], dated December 8, 1936, from the Secretary of the Dominican Treasury, a copy and translation of which are enclosed, with respect to the extension to commerce of the United States of the concessions made by the Dominican Republic to France under the Franco-Dominican Trade Agreement of September 4, 1936. The Department will observe that the General Receiver states, in referring to the Dominican Treasury Department’s communication, that, after very careful consideration and study, it is the opinion of the Receivership that this instruction in nowise changes the situation now in effect with respect to the withholding of equal treatment to certain goods and products of American origin and manufacture similar in character to those mentioned in the Franco-Dominican Trade Agreement by brands, as communicated to the customs service in the Receivership’s circular No. 156 of October 2, 1936, a copy and translation of which is enclosed.
It would appear from the General Receiver’s interpretation of the Dominican Treasury Department’s instruction of December 10, 1936, that, despite the repeated representations made by the Legation to the Dominican Foreign Office, equal treatment for American products similar in character to products of the French firms mentioned in the Franco-Dominican Trade Agreement by brands or trade names is still being withheld by the Dominican Government.
I beg leave to enclose, for the Department’s information, single copies of the Receivership’s circular instructions Nos. 160, 162, 163 and 164, in which the spelling of certain French brands or trade names is corrected or additions to the list of French manufacturers entitled to preferential treatment under the Franco-Dominican Trade Agreement are made.
Respectfully yours,
- Enclosures to this despatch not printed.↩