837.61351/2174
The Ambassador in Cuba (Wright) to the
Secretary of State
No. 2388
Habana, September 14,
1939.
[Received September 15.]
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a
copy, together with translations, of a note handed to me by the
Secretary of State last evening in reply to my informal communication to
him on the 11th instant of the decision of the President of the United
States to announce by proclamation the discontinuance of the sugar
quotas.
Respectfully yours,
[Enclosure—Translation]
The Cuban Secretary of State (Angel Campa) to the American Ambassador (Wright)
Habana, September 13,
1939.
Mr. Ambassador: The personal communication
which Tour Excellency made to me yesterday concerning the decision
of the Government of the United States to declare abolished the
system of quotas which governed the sugar market, on which was
specifically based the only important advantage which the Reciprocal
Trade Agreement of 1934 offered the people of Cuba following the
suspension of the advantages
[Page 569]
to our tobacco, has caused a painful impression to my Government
which it would be both insincere and useless on my part not to
hasten to make known to the Government which Your Excellency so
worthily represents. In fact, the disorder which this unexpected
measure causes in our national economy is so complete and arouses
such deep anxiety in the Cuban people that my Government does not
hesitate to request, in a friendly manner, that the Government of
the United States consider emergency action with a view to the
immediate remedying of this seriously unbalanced situation which,
without a doubt causes, with respect to Cuba, a condition of obvious
inequality in the field of our reciprocal relations. Fortunately, I
cherish the hope that within the instructions received from your
Government—which I had the privilege of learning yesterday through
the medium of Your Excellency, and which leave open the door for
carrying on the negotiations with a view to broadening the Treaty of
1934—it may be possible to find a provisional formula which will
permit the Government of Cuba—inclined perhaps to reduce the
benefits accorded the United States to the limits fixed by the
Treaty of 190281—to maintain those commercial relations from
which both countries have derived positive advantages within the
brilliant scope which they have attained to their mutual
convenience, and to the extent made necessary by the seriousness of
the present time.
In that regard I do not consider it inopportune to suggest to Your
Excellency that if it is the purpose of the Government of the United
States in destroying the quota barriers to promote a just balance in
prices—a commendable policy which all governments may perhaps have
to pursue during this war in order to restrain undue speculation in
products of prime necessity—the reestablishment of the current tax
of 90 cents imposed on Cuban sugars would further that end.
In such a case Cuba would be prepared to sacrifice the unquestioned
privilege which the system of quotas represents to her, the
re-establishment of which might be considered later when the
disagreeable circumstances of the moment will have changed. It is
possible that within the broadening of the powers of the Executive
Branch of the Union to negotiate reciprocal treaties, there may be
found the solution, such, for example, as an exchange of notes
between both Governments which would put into effect this
provisional regime until there is signed the additional treaty which
the Government of Cuba is anxious to enter into in its unshakable
desire to establish a new and stronger tie in its friendship with
the Government and the people of the United States.
I take [etc.]
