893.102S/1922: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China (Johnson)
196. On October 17 the Chinese Embassy inquired, under instruction from the Chinese Government, whether there was any truth in a report to the effect that the American and other interested governments were negotiating with the Japanese in regard to the International Settlement at Shanghai.
An officer of the Department replied that he was not aware of any such negotiations; that local conversations at Shanghai were constantly occurring in regard to contention over the policing of extra-Settlement roads and in regard to various defense areas at Shanghai, but that these should in no sense be deemed negotiations between the Japanese and other concerned governments.
Sent to Chungking. Repeated to Peiping and Shanghai.