893.61331/55: Telegram
The Ambassador in China ( Johnson ) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 12—7 a.m.]
443. Department’s telegram No. 216, September 9, 6 p.m., has been transmitted to Shanghai with the request to follow the matter closely. Instructions have been sent to Nanking by the Embassy’s September 12, noon as follows:
“Shanghai has been instructed to follow the matter closely. Please approach those officials of the Ministry of Finance who would presumably [Page 616] be informed of the project with a request for authoritative information regarding the matter. In conferring with Chinese officials in this connection, the instructions contained in the Department’s telegram No. 124, May 22, 6 p.m., should be borne in mind. You should make an initial oral protest at the Foreign Office if it seems that various current reports of a monopoly project are essentially correct. Please keep the Department, Embassy and Shanghai currently informed of developments.”
The Embassy is studying the problem and will make formal protest should Nanking’s information warrant such action.