611.3531/1016: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Argentina (Armour)
165. Your telegram no. 175, September 20, 7 p.m.
1. You should point out to the Argentine officials that of the products contained in the Argentine Government’s note of September 18, chicken eggs in the shell, asparagus, wildcat skins, horse hair, sausage casings, and oleo stearin are included in the list of products, on which this Government will consider granting concessions to Argentina, which was published with the public announcement issued here on August 23.
[Page 263]2. You should fully inform the Argentine officials of the nature and extent of the concessions which have been granted on the following products in trade agreements now in effect with the countries indicated. These concessions are set forth in the publication of January 1, 1939, of the United States Tariff Commission entitled “Changes In Import Duties Since The Passage Of The Tariff Act of 1930” and in the supplement thereto of May 1, 1939, copies of which you have.
- 42, refined glycerine, Netherlands and France
- 207, fluorspar containing more than 97 percent of calcium fluoride, United Kingdom
- 712, chickens and ducks, dead, dressed, or undressed, fresh, chilled, or frozen, Canada
- 738, apple cider, Canada
- 766, beets, other than sugar beets, Canada
- 768, mushrooms prepared or preserved, not dried, France
- 769, peas, green or unripe, Canada
- 769, split peas, Netherlands
- 769, peas, prepared or preserved, valued at 10¢ or more per pound, Belgium
- 771, white or Irish potatoes, Canada
- 773, turnips and rutabagas, Canada
- 774, celery, natural, United Kingdom
- 774, cabbage, natural, Netherlands
- 774, endives, natural, Belgium
- 774, carrots, radishes, and cauliflower, natural, Canada
- 775, sauerkraut, Netherlands
- 775, onions, pickled or packed in brine, Netherlands
- 1530(c), vegetable tanned rough leather made from goat or sheep skins, United Kingdom
- 1681, kid skins, undressed, United Kingdom
- 1785, reptile skins, Colombia, etc.
- 1681, hare fur skins, undressed, Turkey
- 1681, skunk fur skins, undressed, Canada, United Kingdom
In regard to the above products, you should explain that Argentina has supplied no fluorspar, apple cider or rough tanned goat and sheep skins to the United States recently; that total imports into the United States of dead ducks are negligible; that after careful study of all vegetables included in paragraph 765 to 775, it was found prior to publication of the list on August 23 that consideration could be given in the case of Argentina only to asparagus; and that Argentina has been a minor supplier to the United States of the remaining products. You should emphasize, however, that the concessions indicated are now applicable through generalization to any imports into the United States from Argentina of the foregoing products. You may state that this Government does not anticipate the termination of any of the agreements containing these concessions. Concessions granted to Cuba are not generalized to any other country.
[Page 264]Although a concession has been granted in the Canadian agreement on 703, bacon, hams, and shoulders, etc., the benefits of this concession have not accrued to imports of hams and shoulders into the United States from Argentina because the existing sanitary regulations affecting such imports require removal of bones. However, these regulations are now under consideration.
3. You should inform the Argentine officials in strict confidence that it is contemplated that a public announcement of intention to negotiate a trade agreement with Chile will be made here probably next week33 and that it is proposed that the list of products to be published with that announcement will include the following:
- 745, peaches, green, ripe or in brine
- 748, prunes and plums, green, ripe or in brine
- 765, beans, dried
- 767, lentils
- 769, chick peas or garbanzos, dried
- 770, onions
- 770, garlic
- 1611, crude tartaric acid
You should state that any concessions, probably on a seasonal basis, granted to Chile on the fruits and vegetables listed above, as well as on crude tartaric acid, would be extended to Argentina.
4. In regard to the products not dealt with in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 above, you should explain to the Argentine officials that total imports into the United States of casein glue, concentrated grape juice, vinic alcohol, grapeseed oil, penguin skins and cracklings are of negligible commercial importance. During recent years Argentina has supplied no imports of egg yolks and egg albumen; tomatoes, canned, prepared or preserved; or hash of vegetables and/or fish. Argentina is a very minor supplier of butter (the principal suppliers being the Netherlands and New Zealand with Argentina supplying about 1 percent of total imports); macaroni, noodles, etc.; oil cake and oil cake meal; and weasel skins. Argentina has supplied less than 10 percent of imports of wools finer than 44’s (paragraph 1102(b)) and angora goat, cashmere goat and alpaca hair. Water hog skins and cattle, ox and calf tail hair, total imports of which are very small, have continuously been on the free list and are unlikely to be removed therefrom.
5. On the basis of the foregoing information you should make every endeavor to persuade the Argentine officials to withdraw their request that this Government consider granting concessions on any products not included in the list of products published with the public announcement of August 23. The addition of any product, no matter how unimportant, to that list would require public announcement, a [Page 265] new period for written briefs and oral hearings. It is practically certain that this would delay the negotiations so as to make it impossible to conclude the agreement within the limits of the time available.