893.711/54: Telegram

The Minister in China ( Johnson ) to the Secretary of State

135. Department’s February 14, 6 p.m.

1.
On November 9 the Legation telegraphed the Minister for Foreign Affairs requesting an investigation of the case of the Shanghai Evening Post and that action be taken to remove the postal ban upon this American newspaper. On January 9 the Legation addressed a further communication to Dr. Wang, making inquiry concerning the outcome of the investigation. No reply has been received to either of these communications. I have now telegraphed the American Consul General at Shanghai that I will be glad to discuss the matter with Mr. Carl Crow upon the occasion of my forthcoming visit to Shanghai.
2.
From a cursory examination of the despatches from Shanghai (copies of which have already been received by the Department), it would appear that the editor of the Post has permitted the issue to become confused by what would seem to have been an unnecessary and tactless denunciation of the Chief of the Bureau of Public Safety, thus enabling the Chinese to demand that Crow be prosecuted for [Page 561] libel and to seek to justify the continued ban upon the Post for reasons other than those which caused the original action to be taken. I deem it advisable to go more fully into the facts of the case before making further representations to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Johnson