893.5034 Business Tax/53
The Secretary of State to the Minister in China (Johnson)
Sir: The receipt is acknowledged of your despatch No. 1731, dated September 12, 1932,61 entitled “Protests of Socony-Vacuum Corporation against Illegal Taxation, Foochow”, in which you state that you are informed that the protests of the Socony-Vacuum Corporation with regard to illegal taxation are no longer based upon private agreements but upon voluntary rulings of the National Government of the Republic of China. You state that you assume that the Department will approve direct protests by American consular officers to the provincial authorities against the levy of illegal taxation upon kerosene and gasoline in cases where and on the ground that such levy violates rulings of the National Government.
The Department perceives no objection to the filing of protests with the Chinese authorities either by the Legation or by consular officers on such grounds provided that in each case the Legation and/or the consular officer concerned is satisfied that a ruling of the National Government has been violated.
Very truly yours,
- Not printed.↩