893.74/646: Telegram
The Minister in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 29—5:06 a.m.]
550. 1. Your 345, December 23, 2 p.m.34 Minister of Communication[s] Yell left Peking on October 24th and Vice Minister Cheng on November 10th, and have not returned. Minister of Interior Kung was appointed on November 28th concurrently Acting Minister of Communication[s]; but because of the above circumstances and political instability I have been unable to move the Ministry of Communications to initiate negotiations with Davis for modification of contract. Davis has been in constant touch with Director General of Telegraphs who advised against negotiating with the Acting Minister, consequently there has been no progress since exchange of note[s] of October 6th and 8th—See my 430, October 8, 8[11] p.m., paragraph 1.
2. Appointment of a substantive Minister of Communications seems imminent and I will seize early opportunity to reopen matter with him.
- Not printed.↩