893.74/800: Telegram
The Minister in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 9—12:40 p.m.]
17. 1. Apropos of certain current rumors regarding a settlement of the radio issue, Quo Tai-chi, Commissioner of Foreign Affairs, addressed to the consulates [consulate at?] Shanghai, December 12th, a note incorporating instructions from the Nanking Government of the following tenor:
“In connection with the radio enterprise, the pseudo government of Peking has entered into agreements first with the Japanese firm of Mitsui and Company and then with the United States Federal Corporation with the result that the problem has become one of complicated and insolvable nature and we are deprived of our rights. The Nationalist Government has never recognized such agreements and in order that it may not be bound by same it is deemed necessary to make an early disavowal whether or not the press report is true and:
[Page 558]“As requested [in?] the above-quoted despatch we hasten to direct that as Commissioner of Foreign Affairs you will immediately file through the American and Japanese consuls general at Shanghai to the American and Japanese Ministers at Peking an emphatic declaration to the effect that in no way will the Nationalist Government be bound by any of the agreements executed on this subject whether or not the report in circulation is true and correct.”
2. A note in identic terms addressed to the Japanese consul general.
3. Unless otherwise instructed I propose to concert with my Japanese colleague with a view to instructing our respective consuls general to reply that the Nanking authorities are not competent to invalidate contracts made with the duly recognized Government of China.