693.002/468: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Consul General at Shanghai (Gauss)
86. Your 146, January 26, 7 p.m. With regard to the British views, the Department perceives no objection in general to your lending such support to those views as you deem appropriate and advisable, with the understanding of course that we are not prepared to commit ourselves to an arrangement which calls for the nomination by the American Government of an official or officials on the proposed board; but it would not appear to be advisable to press the British views to the point of jeopardizing discussions or negotiations looking toward the adoption of an arrangement on the basis of the Japanese proposals.
The Department has confidence that you, bearing in mind its various instructions on the subject, will be able to exert your influence to the end that a settlement may be reached which in so far as possible respects our position with regard to preservation of the integrity of the customs and the safeguarding of the customs revenues, with special reference to the servicing of foreign loan and indemnity quotas.