633.113/27

The Minister in Uruguay (Lay) to the Secretary of State

No. 297

Subject: Proposed increase of Uruguayan customs duties on galvanized iron sheets.

Sir: I have the honor to enclose herewith a memorandum17 from the Consulate General here reporting that a prominent Uruguayan concern has requested the Uruguayan Government to increase the present duty on galvanized iron and that another firm, Juan M. Gonzalez, now importing the product from the United States suggests that this Legation “make some kind of a protest against this action as tending to destroy a market for American products here.”

I have advised a member of the firm of Juan M. Gonzalez that this Legation could not make a protest against a proposed increase in duties on galvanized iron if such an increase is levied on this product from all countries alike. Would the Department, however, approve of my informally and verbally pointing out to the Foreign Minister that such increases in tariff duties do not seem to be in accord with the principles established in the Resolution on the future Economic, Commercial and Tariff Policy adopted by the Seventh International Conference of American States at Montevideo in 1933.

Respectfully yours,

Julius G. Lay
  1. Not printed.