793.942/16: Telegram
The Minister in China ( MacMurray ) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 21—5:50 p.m.]
557. 1. Reuter, July 20th, reports that the Japanese consul at Nanking received [on] that date a note from the Nationalist Government stating that the 3 months’ extension arranged by Japan with the former Peking Government for negotiations for a new Sino-Japanese treaty had expired 5 o’clock July 20th and that the regulations or so-called modus vivendi for those whose old treaties had expired would be applied to Japanese in China. It is reported that the consul at Nanking refused to accept the note formerly [formally], but finally agreed to transmit to the Japanese Minister the fact that the note had been submitted to him and did in fact unofficially wire to the Minister the contents or gist of the note verbale.
2. I have not as yet had opportunity to confirm accuracy of the foregoing report.