March 21, 1950

Mr. Jacques Rimey
French Commercial Attache
307 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago

Dear Mr. Rimey;

Our town of Morganville adopted the town of Feves (Moselle) France in the fall of 1948 and we have exchanged gifts and now would like to send them some money towards helping to rebuild the towns waterworks. What I want to know[:] what are the restrictions sending money to France as a gift to the people of Feves from our town and in what form would it be sent to remit it to them?

We have sent a number of food shipments during the past year and they went thru in fine shape. We thought it would be a nice gesture to send the town of Feves an oil painting showing a harvest scene in Kansas, but we are having difficulties with the French Customs officials as I understand that anything over $1.00 in value has to have customs paid on it, even if it is a gift to the town of Feves. We shipped it via Air Express Prepaid to Feves, but it is now at the Orley Airfield outside Paris awaiting customs inspection. Could you give me any suggestions on what to do from our end to hurry this shipment thru and find out what the customs charges would be so we could pay them, without the people of Feves having to pay these as we do not want them to have to pay some charges on our gift to them.

Any information you can give me in regards these matters will be greatly appreciated by me and our committee.

Yours sincerely,


Daniel J. Roenigk