Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1934, The Far East, Volume III

893.6363 Manchuria/33: Telegram

The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State

Peiping, August 20, 1934—6 p.m.
[Received August 20—9:35 a.m.]

368. Following has been received from Consul [at] Mukden.

“August 18, 11 a.m. according to strictly confidential information from the Standard-Vacuum Oil Company the Soviet Neft oil interests are closing all of their Manchurian agencies and canceling all contracts as of August 1st. If this is true it is most probably connected with the greatly increased Russo-Japanese tension and not with the oil monopoly question. Local Soviet Consulate General denies this report.”

Consul is being requested to report more fully by mail.¹⁹

Johnson

19. The Consul reported in despatch No. 954, August 25, to the Minister that “it seems to be clear that Neft is curtailing if not completely discontinuing its business in Manchuria.” (893.6363 Manchuria/49)