893.01 Manchuria/29: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
320. Following from American Consul General at Harbin:
“March 9, 11 a.m.
1. Yesterday Shao Lin, appointed by Hsi Chia chief of the Harbin branch of the Foreign Office of Kirin Province, called on me and stated that he had been instructed by Hsi Chia to hand me a written invitation which in translation reads as follows:
‘The Executive of the Manchurian Government will be inaugurated at Changchun at 2 p.m., March 9th, the first year of Tatung. You are respectfully requested to attend the ceremony at the time appointed. The Northeastern Government Administration Committee.’
I informed him that I could not accept this invitation because Changchun is outside of my consular district and that without instructions of the Department I could not attend celebrations of this sort.
2. Shao Lin wrote the official letter dated March 7th containing a similar invitation and requesting a reply which I have not sent.
3. The attitude of my consular colleagues except the Japanese is the [Page 548] same as mine. Vice Consul Takigawa proceeded yesterday to Changchun to attend inauguration ceremony.
4. Decorative arches have been erected at various places and the municipal government have ordered the celebration of “three hsin”76a commencing today, but hardly anyone except a few “White” Russians and self-seeking Chinese are taking celebrations seriously. Pu Yi is butt of many jokes among Russians and Chinese who realize his inauguration is a farce.”