393.115 Tung or Wood Oil/167: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Consul General at Shanghai (Gauss)
291. Reference Hankow’s August 4, 9 a.m.,97 and previous in regard to wood oil. In addition to the requests which the Department has received from American exporters for assistance in effecting removal from Hankow to Shanghai of American-owned wood oil, the Department has also received approximately 35 inquiries in regard to this subject from Senators and Congressmen and in addition a large number of letters from American consumers of wood oil. In order that replies to these inquiries, which continue to be made of the Department, [Page 446] may be as responsive as possible, the Department would appreciate being kept currently and fully informed in regard to any developments in the situation.
The Department assumes that the Hankow and Shanghai representatives of the concerned companies are working in close cooperation and that as soon as practicable they will make known to you their joint decision in regard to questions such as whether it is desirable to endeavor to effect removal of the wood oil from Hankow by means of a single sea-going vessel or by a number of river lighters.
Sent to Shanghai. Shanghai please repeat to Tokyo. Repeated to Hankow, Peiping and Chungking.
- Not printed.↩