~.~:VW: PC
 
                                     September 27 1935
 
My dear Mr. Hackett:
 
                     Your letter of September 24, 1935, reached 
 
the President just as he was preparing to leave Washington. He
 
instructed me to tell you that he is extremely sorry  not to have 
 
the time to answer you  personally and he re-quested that                                     
 
I furnish you with all  available information regarding the points
 
raised in your letter.
 
          I have taken the matter up with the appropriateofficer
 
 in the Department of State and have been informedby him that the 
 
Swiss law forbids the takingof depositicns of persons voluntarily
 
appearing before consular officers. I am pleased to send on to you 
 
copies off two notes  on  this subject  dated April 27,  1925  and  
 
January 8,  1927, received by the American Legation at Bern
 
from the Swiss Federal Department of Justice and Police.
 
      In  the circumstances, since Americanconsular officers 
 
in Switzerland are not competent to take testimony
 
                                                            
                                           under
 
              Mr. Henry T. Hackett,
 
               226 Union Street,
 
               Poughkeepsie, New York.