811.512358 Shipping/6
The Danish Minister (Brun) to the Secretary of State
Sir: On June 17th 1920 I had the honor to deliver to Mr. Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby a note dated June 16th 1920 on the [Page 886] question of taxation of foreign shipping. A Memorandum was appended to the note, setting forth a number of very serious arguments against such taxation and the injurious effects thereof, and it was suggested that the question should be dealt with by an International Conference, to be proposed by one of the leading seafaring nations.
By a reply-note of October 5th 19202 the Department of State informed me that the matter was receiving the careful consideration of the United States Government.
On May 31st 1921 Senator Jones of Washington introduced a bill (S. 1942) for the reciprocal exemption from taxation of foreign shipping and a Section 211 (8) to the same effect was inserted in the new Revenue Bill introduced by Mr. Fordney in the House of Representatives on August 15th 1921 (H. R. 8245).
You will no doubt remember that this last named Section 211 (8) was voted down in the Senate on October 1st on the proposition of Mr. Lenroot from Wisconsin.
The Danish Government and Danish shipping interests are looking forward with the greatest concern to the effects of universal taxation of foreign shipping, effects which without doubt would be felt also by the United States, and, in these circumstances, I venture to ask if you could not see your way to acquaint the appropriate Committees of the two Houses of the United States Congress with the contents of my present note and of the documents which I had the honor to deliver to Mr. Colby on June 17th 1920.
I have [etc.]
- Not printed.↩