Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1925, Volume I

102.1702/137

The Secretary of State to the British Ambassador (Howard)

Washington, May 4, 1925.

My Dear Mr. Ambassador: I beg to refer to your note No. 329, of March 31, 1925, enclosing a Memorandum setting forth the views of the British Government in regard to the Act of Congress, approved January 13, 1925, providing that Customs Attachés shall be regularly and officially attached to American Diplomatic Missions.

With reference to the objections taken by the British Government to the activities of representatives of the United States Treasury in conducting investigations into foreign costs of production, mentioned in your Memorandum, I may say that the American Ambassador at London has been sent very full instructions outlining a method of procedure in these cases in the future, and explaining in detail the purposes for which these representatives of the United States Customs Service are stationed abroad. I am hopeful that, upon the receipt of the information which the Ambassador has been requested to convey to him on this subject, Mr. Austen Chamberlain will consider that the apprehensions felt by the British Government and by British business interests will have been removed.

With regard to the Act of January 13, 1925, I may say that pursuant to its provisions, diplomatic passports are being issued to Customs Attachés and to Assistant Customs Attachés. These officials have been regularly attached to the staff of the American Diplomatic Missions. The American Ambassador at London has been instructed to advise Mr. Austen Chamberlain in this sense, and to request, through him, recognition of these officials in their respective capacities by the appropriate British authorities.⁵¹ It is hoped that, in the light of more complete information, the British Government may deem it possible to modify its tentative position as to these officials outlined in your Memorandum.

I am [etc.]

Frank B. Kellogg

51. On May 16 the Ambassador was informed that Russell L. Rice had been appointed assistant customs attaché, with headquarters in London, for duty in the British Isles (file No. 121.5741/1).