811.71393C73/95: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
340. The Commercial Pacific Cable Company has informed the Department that it has evidence, which has been submitted to you, that Japanese Government telegraph offices have deliberately disregarded “via” indications inserted by senders who wished to use the Commercial Pacific Cable route, contrary to assurances given by the [Page 486] Japanese authorities to the company that “via” indications would be respected.
If you consider the evidence in question adequate for use as the basis of action, you are authorized in your discretion to make an informal approach to the Japanese Foreign Office and express the hope that the Japanese Government telegraph offices will respect the “via” indications inserted in messages by senders in accordance with their reported assurances to the company given presumably in conformity with existing international telegraph regulations. In making your approach you should bear in mind the fact that the United States, while a party to the 1932 Madrid Telecommunications Convention,1 is not a party to the telegraph regulations annexed thereto.
You may care to consult your British and Danish colleagues in regard to this matter.
Please inform the Department of any developments.