611.5831/278a

The Secretary of State to the Swedish Minister (Boström)

My Dear Mr. Minister: In the course of the negotiations leading up to the conclusion of the Trade Agreement between the Kingdom of Sweden and the United States of America, which is being signed today, you have made representations in regard to disabilities said to [Page 743] have been suffered by Swedish manufacturers by reason of the methods of valuation which have been applied to their products in pursuance to the provisions of the Customs Laws of the United States of America. The memoranda which you have submitted from time to time on this matter have purported to show that the rigidity and complexity of the United States Customs Laws have tended to penalize some products of Sweden with high costs of production, and that they have been particularly burdensome upon those commodities which enjoy a limited market within Sweden.

It gives me great pleasure to be able to say that the officials of the appropriate branches of this Government have given sympathetic consideration to every detail of both your formal and informal representations. They have asked me to say to you that, in dealing with specific cases in future, they will continue to bear in mind the representations which you have made.

I am [etc.]

Cordell Hull