893.512/552: Telegram
The Minister in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 19—8:45 a.m.]
158. Your February 15, 4 p.m., paragraph No. 3.
1. I assume that the Department approves of the course suggested in my February 7, 9 a.m., with reference to acquiescing tacitly in the surtaxes reported in my January 13, 4 p.m.
[Page 384]Apparently the British have abandoned idea of a formal acceptance of the surtaxes in order to avoid antagonizing South and possibly precipitating disruption of the Customs Administration.
I understand however that Lampson36 has informally told Koo that the British Government regards the new taxation as the equivalent of the Washington surtaxes and purposes to place no obstacle in the way of collection.
2. Am I correct in interpreting the Department’s attitude with regard to discriminatory treatment as covering not only cases of discrimination as among foreign nationals but also as between Americans and Chinese; that is, national as well as most-favored-nation treatment?
- Sir Miles Lampson, British Minister in China.↩