FINANCE

CONVENTION FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF COUNTERFEITING CURRENCY, AND PROTOCOL 7

Poland

The Secretary General of the League of Nations informed the Secretary of State by a circular letter dated March 12, 1935, that the instrument of ratification by Poland, on behalf of the Free City of Danzig, of the convention and protocol for the suppression of counterfeiting currency, signed at Geneva April 20, 1929, was deposited with the Secretariat on March 1, 1935.

This ratification is subject to the following reservation, as quoted in the above-mentioned circular letter, which has been accepted by the contracting parties to which it was communicated in accordance with the terms of article 22 of the convention:

"The procedure provided by Article 19 of the International Convention for the Suppression of Counterfeiting Currency, signed at Geneva on April 20th, 1929, for the settlement of any disputes which might arise between the High Contracting Parties relating to the interpretation or the application of the said Convention, shall not be applied in the case of a dispute between Poland and the Free City of Dantzig."

CONVENTION AND PROTOCOL BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND FRANCE CONCERNING DOUBLE TAXATION 8

Ratifications of the convention between the United States and France on the subject of double taxation, which was signed at Paris on April 27, 1932, were exchanged at Paris on April 9, 1935, by the American Ambassador to France and the French Minister for Foreign Affairs. Under its terms the convention will become effective on January 1, 1936.

Under French law, in addition to the various taxes imposed upon the income and dividends of the French subsidiary, through which American business concerns are operating in France, an additional tax is assessed against the American parent corporation based upon the dividends which they have declared, on the theory that a portion of the earnings and profits out of which such dividends were paid, were derived from French sources. Under this convention, when it shall have become effective, France will not collect this tax upon compliance by American subsidiary concerns in France with certain procedural conditions.

8

See Bulletin No. 65, February 1935, p. 17.

See Bulletins No. 31, April 1932, p. 14, and No. 34, July 1932, p. 15.

A method is provided in the convention by which the dividend tax based upon a portion of the dividends declared, to which, under French law, an American business concern doing business in France. through an unincorporated branch is subjected, may be eliminated if a corresponding tax is paid upon three-quarters of the profits derived in France by the unincorporated branch.

The convention also provides for the reciprocal exemption of the salaries of Government officials, war pensions, annuities, and royalties.

FISHERIES

CONVENTION BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE HALIBUT FISHERY OF THE NORTHERN PACIFIC OCEAN AND BERING SEA

The American Chargé d'Affaires ad interim at Ottawa transmitted to the Secretary of State with a despatch dated April 1, 1935, a copy of a notice published on page 2099 of the official Canadian Gazette of March 30, 1935, which was issued by the Canadian Department of Fisheries relative to an amendment to the Pacific Halibut Fishery Regulations 1935. The text of the notice is as follows:

Under the provisions of Article III of the Pacific Halibut Fishery Convention that was signed on May 9, 1930, the Governor General of Canada, by Order in Council of March 9, 1935,-P. O. 613-and the President of the United States of America, on March 18, 1935, approved that Section 6 of the Pacific Halibut Fishery Regulations 1935, which were approved by Order in Council of December 31, 1934, of the Dominion of Canada and by the President of the United States on January 22, 1935, be rescinded and the following substituted therefor: 6. The use of any hand gurdy or other appliance in hauling halibut gear by hand power in any dory or small boat operated from a vessel licenses under the provisions of these regulations is prohibited in Areas 1 and 2. This regulation shall not become operative until such date as shall be determined upon by the International Fisheries Commission.

WM. A. FOUND, Deputy Minister of Fisheries.

OTTAWA, 26th March, 1935.

INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY

GENERAL INTER-AMERICAN CONVENTION FOR TRADE-MARK AND COMMERCIAL PROTECTION AND PROTOCOL ON THE INTER-AMERICAN REGISTRATION OF TRADE MARKS 9

Panama

With a letter dated April 12, 1935, the Director General of the Pan American Union transmitted to the Secretary of State a certi

'See Bulletin No. 66, March 1935, p. 12.

fied copy of the instrument of ratification together with a certified copy of the procès-verbal of the deposit of the instrument of ratification by Panama of the inter-American convention for trademark and commercial protection and protocol on the interAmerican registration of trade marks, signed at Washington February 20, 1929. The deposit took place on April 8, 1935.

LABOR

CERTAIN CONVENTIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL LABOR CONFERENCE

Australia

According to a circular letter dated April 9, 1935, from the League of Nations, the ratification by Australia of the convention concerning seamen's articles of agreement, adopted by the International Labor Conference at its ninth session, was registered with the Secretariat on April 1, 1935. The letter adds that the ratification does not apply to the territories of Papua and Norfolk Island and the mandated territories of New Guinea and Nauru.

Canada

By a circular letter dated April 3, 1935, the Secretary General of the League of Nations informed the Secretary of State that the instrument of ratification by Canada of the convention limiting the hours of work in industrial undertakings to eight in the day and forty-eight in the week, adopted by the International Labor Conference at its first session, was registered with the Secretariat on March 21, 1935.

By a second communication of the same date the Secretary General informed the Secretary of State that the instrument of ratification by Canada of the convention concerning the application of the weekly rest in industrial undertakings, adopted by the International Labor Conference at its third session, was registered with the Secretariat on March 21, 1935.

Ecuador

POSTAL

POSTAL UNION OF THE AMERICAS AND SPAIN 10

By a note dated April 5, 1935, the Spanish Ambassador at Washington informed the Secretary of State that the instruments of ratification by Ecuador of the convention of the Postal Union of the Americas and Spain and the parcel post agreement, signed at

Madrid November 10, 1931, were deposited with the Spanish Government on March 7, 1935.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION CONVENTION 11

Irish Free State

By a note dated April 4, 1935, the Spanish Ambassador at Washington informed the Secretary of State of the deposit with the Spanish Government on February 15, 1935, of the instrument of ratification by the Irish Free State of the international telecommunication convention signed at Madrid December 9, 1932. The Ambassador's note adds that notice was given by the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Irish Free State to the International Bureau of the Telecommunication Union under date of March 2, 1934, that the regulations and protocols annexed to the convention became effective for the Irish Free State on January 1, 1934.

VISA FEES

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA FOR RECIPROCAL REDUCTION OF PASSPORT VISA FEES

By an exchange of notes an agreement for the reciprocal reduction of passport visa fees has been concluded between the United States and China. This agreement becomes effective on July 1, 1935, and under its terms Americans traveling to China on temporary visits as tourists or for business or pleasure and Americans residing in China who return there from temporary visits of not more than 6 months to countries adjacent to China will be able to obtain Chinese visas for a fee approximately equal to $2.50. The visas will be valid for 1 year, provided the passport itself is valid for that period, and for any number of entries into China. Americans passing in transit through China will receive gratis Chinese visas for their journey. The agreement will particularly benefit American missionaries, educators, and business men in China returning there from short temporary visits to nearby places as they have heretofore been obliged to obtain Chinese visas at a fee of $10 for each reentry.

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND LATVIA FOR RECIPROCAL WAIVER OF NONIMMIGRANT PASSPORT VISA FEES

An agreement between the United States and Latvia, effective April 1, 1935, for the reciprocal waiver of passport visa fees for "See Bulletin No. 66, March 1935, p. 13.

nonimmigrants, has been concluded by an exchange of notes. The agreement provides that the United States shall from April 1, 1935, waive passport visa fees for all nonimmigrant Latvian subjects who wish to proceed to the United States and from the same date the Latvian Government shall waive visa fees for all American citizens who wish to proceed to Latvia.