Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, The American Republics, Volume VIII

821.85/8–1347

The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in Colombia

restricted
No. 1273

Washington , August 20, 1947.

Sir: With reference to the Department’s circular instruction of April 7, 1947 entitled “Shipping Discriminations” and to despatches Nos. 2492 of May 30, 1947 and 2578 of July 17, 1947,¹ you are requested, unless objection is perceived thereto, to deliver a note along the following lines to the Colombian Minister for Foreign Affairs, and at that time to express concern about the present practices of discriminating against American shipping:

“Excellency:

“I have received instructions from my government to protest to your government in connection with a number of shipping discriminations recently adopted by it. Information has been received that preferential treatment is being accorded Flota Mercante Grancolombiana S. A., in the following respects:

“1. by Law 10 of 1946 exempting Grancolombiana from income and inheritance taxes and from payment of port dues, and

“2. by a policy of the Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia, a government organization of the Republic of Colombia, under which it will sell coffee to merchants, dealers and exporters only upon condition that such coffee be exported in steamships of Grancolombiana.

[Here follows a historical explanation of United States policy including quotations from the treaty of 1846 between the United States and the Republic of New Granada (Colombia), and from certain United States Statutes.]

“The Governments of the United States and other trading nations of the world have recognized the necessity of adopting sound principles of non-discriminatory multilateral trade in effectively promoting and encouraging international trade and international peace. A program of shipping discriminations if permitted to flourish would inevitably act as a restraint on international trade in that it would provide a monopoly to national interests with subsequent large increases in freight rates.

“Looking toward future relations it is sincerely hoped that the Government of Colombia will abandon its present discriminations against the shipping of the United States. In the past 150 years the possibilities of a discriminatory program have been fully explored, and the disadvantages have been found to far outweigh any possible advantages.”

Very truly yours,

For the Acting Secretary of State:

Willard L. Thorp

1. None printed.