693.002 Manchuria/287: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
189. Your 283, December 19, 4 p.m. In case of need, the Department perceives no objection to the Consul using the address mentioned in the last paragraph of your telegram under reference. The Department, however, sees no reason for frequent formal communication and suggests that the Consul endeavor to transact business on a personal and/or informal basis.
In response to an inquiry some months ago from the Consul General at Mukden in regard to the appropriateness of the Consulate General requesting from the local customs authorities statistical information on behalf of American firms, the Department replied that it considered it inadvisable for American consular officers to attempt to obtain such information, even informally, from the authorities of the new regime unless in a particular case the information appeared to be essential to a legitimate American interest.