Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1939, General, The British Commonwealth and Europe, Volume II

611.653/115: Telegram

The Ambassador in Italy (Phillips) to the Secretary of State

Rome, July 6, 1939—7 p.m.
[Received July 6—2:53 p.m.]

251. A Stefani despatch from Washington distributed at noon today but not yet published in the Rome newspapers contains the following comment on the Treasury’s announcement regarding countervailing duties on Italian silk:³¹

“Evidently these are measures dictated by the political prejudice which animates the Jew Morgenthau³² against the Axis powers. Similar measures were taken recently against all imports from Germany.”

We are bringing this item to the attention of the competent Italian authorities pointing out the lamentable effect that will ensue from its publication in the press and expressing the expectation that if already published it will be contradicted officially.

Phillips

31. For text of Treasury Decision No. 49909, July 6, 1939, see Federal Register, July 8, 1939, p. 2860.
32. Henry Morgenthau, Jr., Secretary of the Treasury.