MINUTE SHEET. Reference
Mr. Hoyer Millar:
By arrangement with the Treasury I
saw Mr* Johnson, one of the Counsel in the
Customs Bureau, about this today and explained
the position, adding that we feared that our
customs administration in London might be unwilling
to go on granting this privilege to Pan American
Airways in England if the United States Government
did not soon come into line.   Mr. Johnson told me
that they had at last received the advice of the
Department of Commerce, dated May 2nd. to the
effect that corresponding privileges were granted
in the United Kingdom, and he had letters almost
ready in draft to inform the State Department,
and instruct the Customs Office at New York to
this effect.   We shall no doubt get official
confirmation before long.
I enquired also whether it would be
possible to refund to Imperial Airways any duties
they had paid since the passing of the statutes
of last July.   Mr. Johnson informed me that he
thought it prima facie very doubtful whether the
Administration had power to grant the exemption
effective^"before the date (May 2nd) of the advice
from the Ministry of Commerce.   It would be better
if Imperial Airways, if they wished to press this
point, were to raise the matter in the form of a
demand for a specific list of refunds through the
Customs Office in New York.
[OVER.