893.51/2584: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in China (Tenney)
Your December 18, 6 p.m.
The Department concurs in the view of the Legation that the right of the Chinese Government to entrust to Americans the reorganization of the Wine and Tobacco revenues is not dependent upon the terms of any agreement and you are therefore authorized to support the appointment as being in the interest of America without specific [Page 549] reference to the contract of the Pacific Development Corporation. Inquiry is being made through the Embassy at Paris as to the grounds upon which the French protest is based.
Repeat to Tokyo for its information your December 18, 6 p.m., and the present reply.