611.6531/423: Telegram
The Ambassador in Italy (Phillips) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 19—9:14 a.m.]
204. Embassy’s telegram 196, August 8, 7 p.m. With a view to further clearing up conflicting understanding and misapprehensions [Page 575] on the part of importers of American products formerly under “bolletta” and now transferred to Ministerial license as of July 1, 1938, a very friendly conversation was held at the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Exchange today by the Acting Commercial Attaché, the substance of which was that while the various confederations and federations were promptly informed of the principle of the new permit regarding [imports?] the practical notification of items and quotas had not actually reached these bodies, as the Embassy had been previously given to understand, due solely to mechanical reasons. Certain federations owing to lack of information from the Ministry had merely protected themselves before importers by making non-committal forms of the negation.
We are now informed that no question of actual suspension of imports is implied or intended by the delays and that a further 15 days would be required before all federations had workable data in their hands.