893.74/177: Telegram
The Chargé in China (Ruddock) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 7—4:20 p.m.]
315. My telegram 308 of September 2. An entire week having elapsed, I insisted that Minister for Foreign Affairs give me an answer today. His position of over a week ago has undergone virtually no change. The Chinese Government, he stated, of course, gave affirmative reply to the three questions raised in the Department’s telegram 242 of August 29. However, he insisted that the execution of the Federal Telegraph Company’s contract and the policy of the Open Door were two separate things; and further declared that since the representations of the American Government to Japan and Great Britain had failed to obtain discontinuance of protests, his Government must be allowed time to secure either the retraction of those protests or at least gain assurances that, by disregarding protests, no serious consequences would ensue through the execution of the Federal Company’s contract. He added that the Minister of Communications was now making an effort toward this end. …