Papers relating to the foreign relations of the United States, 1929, Volume III

694.113Lumber/26: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Japan ( Neville )

Washington , March 22, 1929—5 p.m.

22. Your telegram No. 27, March 20, 5 p.m.⁴⁰ In view of the serious concern expressed by American lumber exporters regarding the effect which the proposed Japanese lumber tariff will have upon the American lumber trade with Japan, you are instructed to bring informally to the attention of the Japanese Government the fact that the proposed tariff provides for higher rates of duty upon the kinds of woods imported chiefly from the United States than upon Siberian products such as Kedar and Spruce, and to point out that, owing to the extent to which the latter can be substituted for American lumber, the proposed tariff would appear likely to constitute discrimination in fact against American products. You will therefore express the hope of this Government that American lumber products will not be placed on an unfavorable basis as compared with similar or competing products of other countries.

Kellogg

40. Not printed.