711.5821/53

The Swedish Legation to the Department of State

Memorandum confirming the Swedish Minister’s conversation with Under Secretary of State, Mr. Polk, March 22, 1920.

By note dated March 13th, the American Minister in Stockholm notified the Swedish Government of the American Government’s wish to have the Consular Convention of 1910 terminate. As motives for the notification are given the Swedish Government’s delay in making a new treaty including the provisions about the terminations of articles 11 and 12 of the aforementioned Consular Convention in so far as these articles are inconsistent with the provisions of the so-called Seamen’s Act.

The Royal Government would be highly obliged if the abrogation notice were canceled in view of the fact that it is willing to, under any and all circumstances, make arrangements for the abrogation of the two articles in question before the date on which the convention would terminate were the abrogation notice allowed to stand.

The contents of the State Department’s note to the Legation of October 21, 1919, as well as some supplementary data obtained in November by Judge Sjöborg from the Solicitor’s Office as to what articles in the old treaties should be eliminated, were communicated to the Royal Foreign Office by letter dated December 1st, 1919, and His Excellency the Foreign Minister states in his despatch respecting the abrogation notice that the matter of the new treaty is being given consideration and that appropriate instructions were forthcoming with the least possible delay.