893.114 Narcotics/1474: Telegram
The Consul General fit Shanghai (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 25—10:40 a.m.]
115. Department’s 40, February 20, 5 p.m. Shanghai Municipal Advocate advises Chinese courts in International Settlement and [Page 569] French concession are applying new laws in opium and narcotic drug cases over objection of the Shanghai Municipal Council and the French authorities. The former regard the new laws as too drastic, fear possible congestion in jails and think attempt may be made to establish licensing system in the Settlement. It is understood that the Shanghai Municipal Council will ask that persons convicted under new laws be incarcerated in Chinese prisons and that no opium establishments be licensed in the International Settlement. See despatch 126, February 1, 1936.53 There has been an attempt in certain quarters to place the Municipal Council in a bad light for objecting to the new laws on these grounds. See despatch No. 162, February 7, 1936.54