893.113/1412: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in China (Johnson)
358. Your 1212, October 25, noon. As it is not the policy of the American Government to stimulate through its officers the export to China of arms or munitions of war (see particularly concluding sentence of Department’s instruction to Nanking under date October 12, 1929,23 which, as enclosure No. 2 was attached to your circular instruction No. 394 of December 13, 1929) Department will refrain from taking any action in connection with your telegram under reference.
[Page 591]A purchase by the Yunnan Provincial Government of arms and munitions of war valued at approximately one and three-quarters million gold dollars would appear to indicate either an error on the part of the Consulate at Yunnanfu in reporting the case, or a situation the military and political aspects of which should be watched very carefully.24
- Foreign Relations, 1929, vol. ii, p. 537.↩
- This latter situation was stressed by the Vice Consul at Yunnanfu in his despatches Nos. 22 and 24 of November 2 and 9, 1932, respectively. His conclusion was “that the purchase of a large quantity of arms and munitions is a measure of preparedness for any eventuality.” (893.113/1418, 1420)↩