Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1939, The American Republics, Volume V

837.51/2469a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Cuba ( Wright )

Washington , September 11, 1939—7 p.m.

109. Confirming the information telephoned you by Briggs⁷⁹ this afternoon, the President is tonight giving out a press release for publication in tomorrow morning’s papers to the effect that he has today signed a proclamation⁸⁰ by virtue of the power conferred on him by Section 509 of the Sugar Act of 1937 suspending the operation of the quota provisions of that Act as contained in Title II thereof.

The Secretary of Agriculture is issuing a public notice the effect of which will be, in accordance with the note to Item 501 of Schedule II of the Trade Agreement, to raise the Cuban duty on raw sugar to 1.50 cents per pound at once.

When the suspension of quota provisions comes to an end, the Department desires this Government to be in a position to restore the duty to the level at which it was before such suspension. For this purpose, the Department is disposed to keep open the supplemental trade agreement negotiations and therefore will not issue the notice of suspension which would otherwise have been issued today because of the failure of the Cuban Government to take action in accordance with its reiterated assurances.

Please transmit this information informally to the Cuban Secretaries of State and Agriculture, as well as to Senator Casanova, head of the Sugar Institute.

79. Ellis O. Briggs, Assistant Chief of the Division of the American Republics.
80. No. 2361, September 11, 1939; 54 Stat. 2654.