393.115 Standard Vacuum oil Co./213
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 11.]
Sir: I have the honor to enclose, for the Department’s information, copies of the Tientsin Consulate General’s despatches to this office, Nos. 930, 935, 947, and 950, dated, respectively, December 21 and 27, 1939, and January 10 and 12, 1940,38 in regard to Japanese restrictions on the movement and sale of American petroleum products at Fengchen, Suiyuan, Kalgan, Chahar, and Paoting, Hopei.
[Page 862]There is also enclosed a copy of the Embassy’s note of January 18, 1940, to the Japanese Embassy, Peiping,39 requesting the immediate removal of these restrictions and asking that the necessary instructions be issued to prevent their appearance in the same or similar form at other places.
During the last six months the Embassy, on no less than six occasions, made written representations to the Japanese Embassy for the removal of similar restrictions. Although the Japanese Embassy’s response resulted in a partial removal in three or four instances, restrictions on the movement and sale of petroleum products continue to be imposed at most places in North China and Inner Mongolia where the Standard-Vacuum Oil Company and The Texas Company (China), Limited, have sales agencies. This circumstance makes it clear that the Japanese authorities have not yet issued effective instructions to put a stop to such interference. The added circumstance that at some places, such as Kalgan, restrictions of the kind now have the sanction of law, makes it appear more than likely that the Japanese authorities have no intention of issuing such instructions.
Respectfully yours,
Counselor of Embassy