Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1921, Volume II

856d.6363/74: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Minister in the Netherlands (Phillips)

[Paraphrase]

Washington, April 22, 1921—6 p.m.

25. Your telegram 45 of April 18, 6 p.m. See note under date of November 2, 1920,¹⁴ especially paragraph number eight, enclosed with instruction 97, November 11, 1920.¹⁵ Much publicity is being given to the subject of the Djambi oil concession. If the Senate publishes report¹⁶ referred to in Department’s telegram 2, January 18, 6 p.m.,¹⁷ further public notice will be drawn to this concession. With this publicity, if American interests are practically completely excluded from the Dutch oil business, an unfavorable impression would be created and the situation would be discouraging to Americans considering participation in other lines of Dutch industry.

With respect to its future attitude regarding American investments in the Netherland East Indies, the Department does not desire to commit itself to the extent suggested in your telegram under reference.

Hughes

14. Foreign Relations, 1920, vol. iii, p. 284.
15. Ibid., p. 286.
16. See S. Doc. 11, 67th Cong., 1st sess.
17. Not printed.