811.20 Defense (M)/11777: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:20 a.m.]
168. Department’s inquiry regarding antimony (No. 108, January 19 [20], 11 p.m). Russians are not obtaining the mineral for transportation overland. Limited transport facilities preclude such an operation.
No information has reached Embassy indicating that the Japanese are acquiring the mineral from unoccupied China. Chairman [of] Resources Commission states that location of mines well within Free China facilitates control, that he has received no reports of smuggling, and that he is convinced that, if Japanese are obtaining antimony from Hunan, quantities are negligible.