Papers relating to the foreign relations of the United States, 1931, The Far East, Volume III

793.003/545: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in China (Johnson)

Washington, March 9, 1931—7 p.m.

92. Legation’s 52, February 6 [3], 6 p.m.,⁵⁴ and 101, March 4, 5 p.m.

1. Department has not received Yunnanfu’s despatch No. 14, December 30, 1930, to the Legation.⁵⁵ Please forward copy and in your discretion telegraph summary of item on page 3, as Department does not understand why the Consul at Yunnanfu has entered into a discussion with the Chinese authorities of Yunnan in regard to extraterritorial rights when no specific case appears to have arisen which would necessitate such a discussion.

2. If no specific case requiring such discussion had arisen, the Department desires that you issue a circular instruction cautioning all American consular officers in China not to enter into discussions with the Chinese authorities in regard to extraterritorial rights unless specific cases arise which necessitate such action. In this event, consular officers should continue to be guided by the Department’s telegrams to the Legation, No. 49, February 8, 1 p.m., 1930,⁵⁶ and No. 92, March 12, noon, 1930.⁵⁷

Carr

54. Not printed.
55. Not printed; see telegram No. 131, March 14, 11 a.m., from the Minister in China, p. 754.
56. Summarized in Green Haywood Hackworth, Digest of International Law, vol. ii, pp. 503–504.
57. Foreign Relations, 1930, vol. ii, p. 517.