693.116/69: Telegram

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

650. Department’s 264, July 28, 5 p.m. Following from Consul General at Canton to the Legation and Counselor Peck:

“August 2, 10 p.m. Today I inquired of C. W. Luning, English Secretary of the First Group Army and the Marshal’s representative on the Foreign Trade Committee, what was the present status of our protest on the kerosene restrictions. He said that the committee met on July 28, and that a report of the sense of the meeting was to be made today by its chairman to the Southwest Political Council. He could give me no indication of whether or not attitude of the committee was favorable or unfavorable beyond that the chairman of the committee himself was inclined to be favorable. He could not say definitely when a final decision may be expected but he felt that by next Tuesday88 action might be taken.

Yesterday I entered formal protest on the action of the Pakhoi authorities in sealing up stocks of kerosene belonging to Socony Vacuum Corporation and I drew attention, as instructed in the Legation’s July 29, 11 a.m., to the treaty provisions referred to therein.”

The Legation’s July 29, 11 a.m. quoted the Department’s 264, July 28, 5 p.m.

Johnson
  1. August 8.