693.119/271: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Italy (Page)
2153. The representatives at Peking of the Governments of Great Britain, France, Japan and the United States communicated the following statement, on instructions from their respective governments, to the Chinese government on May 5:
“The Governments here represented agree effectively to restrain their citizens and subjects from importing into China arms until the establishment of a Government whose authority is recognized throughout the country; and the Governments agree to prohibit also the importation of arms contracted for but not delivered during the above named period.”
Minister Reinsch telegraphed May 17 that the Italian Government has accepted the statement with the exception of war materials already contracted for. Insistence on this exception may make entire agreement ineffective. Please ascertain if Italian Government is not willing to and urge that it do withdraw its exception for the sake of uniformity of action which is most essential.