793.003/795: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Paraphrase]
Nanking, December 21, 1931—11
a.m.
[Received December 21—5:35 a.m.]
[Received December 21—5:35 a.m.]
Your 139, December 19, 6 p.m.
- (1)
- It is impossible at the present moment to anticipate precisely what action if any the Chinese may take regarding this question. Last night General Chiang Kai-shek informed me he was leaving either this week or next week to spend 2 or 3 months at Fenghwa, Chekiang. Madame Chiang said her brother, T. V. Soong, also was leaving the Government. The Congress scheduled to open today has been postponed until tomorrow and is unable to complete its number. [Page 926] It will be occupied until about December 25 with a complete reorganization of the Government. Wellington Koo told me he expected to quit Nanking before the year’s end. C. C. Wu tells me he does not expect any important questions in foreign affairs to be taken up for the present by the Government. I am unable to find anywhere anyone who can speak with responsibility on this or any subject just now.
- (2)
- In view of the above situation and if the Government attempts putting the May mandate into effect on January 1, the only thing for us to do, it seems to me, is to notify the Government of our inability to accept the situation resulting therefrom as applicable to our citizens and to point out our continued willingness to complete the extraterritoriality negotiations.
I leave today for Peiping.
Johnson