893.61331/160: Telegram
The Chargé in Japan (Dooman) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 10—7 a.m.]
395. Department’s 150, June 3, 3 p.m.97 and previous regarding Universal Leaf Tobacco Company. Covington, President of the Company, and Arbogast, Vice President, visited Tokyo in June and during their stay I arranged for them to confer informally with Hidaka, Head of the Economic Section of the China Board. Hidaka arranged that Arbogast on his return to Shanghai meet Japanese officials who are concerned with economic matters. Arbogast has informed me that after several interviews his company has not been given permission to send its own buyers to Pengpu and other Yangtze areas under Japanese occupation. Accordingly I addressed today to Yoshizawa98 a letter setting forth the position in which the company has been placed in respect of buying operations in the Yangtze Valley and in Shantung as well and asked that at least restrictions placed on the company which were not equally placed on Japanese and other foreign competitors be [removed]. If a favorable reply is not received by August 25 I propose to make further and formal representations.
2. I would appreciate Covington, who is now in Richmond, being informed by the Department of the action taken.
Repeated to Shanghai; Shanghai please repeat to Peiping and Tsingtao and inform Shanghai office of the company.