611.5131/1722: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France (Bullitt)
354. Your 936, July 7, 10 p.m.6 Phillips of the Apple Association today represented to me the importance of early settlement of questions at issue. The new pear crop will soon begin moving from the Pacific Coast and the new apple crop will be ready shortly afterwards.
I am deeply concerned that the French have failed to remedy this situation. In view of the Minister of Agriculture’s statement that he would have an immediate study made of license utilization, would you not consider that you would be justified while asking him the results thereof to impress once more on him the deep importance I attach to the fulfilment of French obligations under the trade agreement. In particular, an effective method of license distribution should be worked out and the licenses tax question disposed of. Since the law prohibiting license transfer has been voted, it appears that [Page 279] Monnet7 has all the necessary authority to make adequate arrangements.
I appreciate that you have done everything that you could possibly do in this matter and that you have lost no occasion to keep these questions before the French Government. Yet in view of two French devaluations and of France’s failure to make suitable arrangements for the fruit quotas to be filled, the pressure on the Department from our fruit exporters is mounting and a most regrettable situation may develop unless you can persuade the French to remedy matters before the shipping season begins on the West Coast.