Office of the Historian

793.94/4564: Telegram

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

Peiping, March 4, 1932—1 p.m.
[Received March 4—6:10 a.m.]

301. Department’s 68, February 25, 6 p.m. Following from the American Consul General, Harbin:

1.

“March 1, 3 p.m., No. 25.

(1)
Your February 27, 11 a.m. Paragraph 1 (a) and (b). Neither the consular body nor any American native [national?] immediately prior to the present situation participated in the municipal affairs at Harbin, (c) The Japanese Consul General some years ago made a temporary agreement with the Chinese authorities whereby local Japanese would pay municipal taxes in return for Japanese representation on the Taxation Committee of the municipality but Vice Consul Takigawa has informed me that his Consulate General desires to have the Chinese authorities reorganize the municipality so that its status will be similar to the status created by the Anglo-Russian municipal agreement of 1914 and believe[s] that the consular body should make representations to the Chinese authorities to bring this about. Contemplated that the consular body or extraterritorial consuls would act upon their own initiative.
(2)
The present Mayor Pao Kuan-cheng was officially appointed on January 23rd of this year by the Civil Administrator Chang Ching-hui, but was really installed in office by Colonel Doihara, who is directing and controlling municipal affairs, the police and the press. Although the civil administrator informed me in writing on February 18 last in reply to a query of mine that there is no plan to revise the regulations of the Harbin municipality, it is evident that the Japanese will secure the form of government, which undoubtedly will also control the native city of Fuchiatien and suburbs besides the present Harbin municipality, they desire. This new municipality, if organized, will undoubtedly last for a long time irrespective of whether Manchuria becomes an independent state or remains a part of China under Japanese domination. In it local Russians, who number about 100,000, many of whom are clamoring for municipal representation, and Japanese who number about 5, 000 exclusive of the troops, will be [Page 506] given much more voice in municipal affairs than they have at present.
(3)
If there is a possibility of other foreigners securing municipal representation either direct or through the consular body should Americans avail themselves of it?”
2.
The Legation does not believe that the Consul General should take the initiative in calling for a reorganization of the Harbin municipal government but, if as appears inevitable, a reorganization is to be effected under which foreign residents, chiefly Russians and Japanese, will be given a greater voice in municipal affairs than formerly, there would seem to be no sufficient reason why the American Consul General in association with his colleagues should not seek to obtain equitable and nondiscriminatory treatment for American residents and American rights and interests, particularly in regard to all matters relating to taxation. It has been the practice to give American consular officers the greatest latitude in protecting the local interests of Americans irrespective of the actual status of the local governments with which they have had to deal, and it would seem that any other principle of action would constantly prejudice the protection of American interests throughout the whole of China. The Department’s instructions are requested.

For the Minister:
Perkins