660C.116/215
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Poland (Biddle)
Sir: The Department is in receipt of your despatch No. 8, June 9, 1937,43 with regard to the application to American goods imported into Poland of the direct shipment requirement.
The Embassy is requested to discuss informally with the competent Polish officials the matter of the application of the direct shipment requirement to imports of American products. In this discussion the views and practice of the Polish Government should be ascertained. In particular the Embassy should endeavor to ascertain, should the question arise out of the Polish point of view, whether the Polish Government regards the requirement, in the first instance, of a direct shipment endorsement for imports of American products and its later cancellation upon documentary proof that such shipment is not feasible, as constituting a practice consonant with the provisions of Article 6 of the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Consular Rights between the United States and Poland.
The Embassy should make it clear to the Polish officials with whom this matter is discussed that any practice which would delay the importation of indirect shipments of American products, or which otherwise would burden importation of indirect shipments as compared with direct shipments, would be regarded by this Government as conflicting with the provision of Article 6 of the Treaty of Friendship, [Page 550] Commerce, and Consular Eights that no distinction shall be made between direct and indirect shipments.
Upon the receipt from the Embassy of a report of its conversations with the Polish authorities the Department will give further consideration to the matter.
Very truly yours,
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