651.116/308: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France (Edge)
159. Your 248, April 22, 5 p.m. Our conclusion from the attitude of the French Ambassador here and from your telegrams is that the French Government is playing for time. They would like nothing better than to draw out the discussions in meetings of experts or to confuse the quota discussions by centering attention on some other subject such as double taxation. We believe that the French Government if it is so minded can accede to our requests on quota matters within a matter of days. We must not allow these discussions to drift into the type of bargaining experts meetings which would probably be productive of nothing but a prolongation of the present system and its eventual consolidation to our even further disadvantage. This Government can give no assurances that it may not at any moment invoke Article 338 against French imports. Please keep these considerations actively in your own mind and before the French.