793.003 C 73/301

The American Commissioner on Extraterritorial Jurisdiction in China (Strawn) to the Secretary of State

No. 12

Sir: I have the honor to report the activities of the Commission on Extraterritoriality in China during the period from May 1, 1926 to May 11, 1926.

On May 5, 1926 a meeting of the Commission was held at the Chü Jen T’ang,59 a copy of the Minutes of which is enclosed herewith.60 At this meeting there was a discussion of the outline of the report and the recommendations of the Commission. In the main there was a concurrence of opinion among the Commissioners as to what the outline should be. After the return of the Commission from its tour of inspection, a drafting committee will be appointed to prepare a draft report. In the interim the various Commissioners are to prepare a statement of their views for this committee, which will use these [Page 978] statements as a basis for its draft report. I have already prepared my draft report and recommendations subject to such amendments as may be necessary as a result of the findings of the Commission on its tour of investigation.

At this meeting the Chinese Commissioner presented a memorandum on taxation, a copy of which is enclosed herewith,61 but it was not discussed because the Commissioners had no time to study its contents.

Travel conditions having ameliorated, it was decided at the meeting on May 5 that the Commission would begin its tour of inspection leaving Peking on May 10, 1926 for Hankow via the Peking-Hankow Railway, thence proceeding to Changsha, if possible, then to Nanking, Shanghai, Tsingtao, Dairen, Mukden, Harbin, Tientsin, and back to Peking. South China has been eliminated from the itinerary because of the hostile attitude of the Canton Government. The Commission accordingly left Peking last night for Hankow and is expected to return by June 10. I was unable to go on account of the Tariff Conference and sent Mr. Jacobs in my place.

I do not anticipate that there will be any great delay in the preparation of the report and recommendations and believe that the Commission will complete its labors and adjourn before July 1.

I have [etc.]

Silas H. Strawn
  1. At the Winter Palace in Peking.
  2. Not printed.
  3. Not printed.