611.11B31/2–446
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Associate Chief of the Division of Commercial Policy (Willoughby)
Admiral Stockton,17 who had just arrived in the United States from Manila with High Commissioner McNutt, came to the Division to discuss the draft commercial treaty with the Philippines. He said that Consul General Steintorf had given him a copy in Manila and that it had been considered by various members of the High Commissioner’s staff. I asked him whether he had comments or suggestions to make in regard to the draft and he indicated that he did not as yet have [Page 870] any but that he expected to study the document more carefully and would be in touch with us later.
I explained to Admiral Stockton that tentatively we are thinking in terms of three documents: 1) the general commercial treaty, of which he had a copy, which would follow the lines of our treaties of friendship and commerce with other countries; 2) a consular convention; and 3) a treaty of general relations, containing various special provisions which are not customarily found in general commercial treaties. These would include matters incidental to the change in the political status of the Philippines. There may, of course, be a number of other special instruments, such as an extradition treaty, a double taxation treaty, a special commercial treaty to implement any legislation providing for special tariff treatment during the transition period, et cetera.
I explained to Admiral Stockton that the Division of Commercial Policy was primarily concerned with the general commercial treaty and that PI would have primary responsibility for the consular convention and the special treaty of general relations. Admiral Stockton made an appointment to see Mr. Lockhart on February 5.
Admiral Stockton inquired when we would be ready to talk to the Philippine Government in regard to the treaty, and I explained that we are now in the process of clearance in the Department and that I could not anticipate precisely when there would be an approved draft which had been cleared both in the Department and with other Washington agencies.
- Naval Aide to the U.S. High Commissioner in the Philippines.↩