893.5034 Business Tax/59
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 16, 1933.]
Sir: With further reference to the Legation’s despatch No. 1659 [1669], August 4, 1932, and to subsequent telegrams regarding attempts of the Chinese authorities to enforce the business tax upon American firms, I have the honor to enclose for the Department’s information copies of a note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs dated October 30, 1932, together with copies of the Legation’s note of December 16, 1932, in reply.62
The Legation has continued to protest against any attempt to force American firms to pay this tax in contravention of rights guaranteed to them by treaties.
In this connection there are also enclosed copies of a memorandum of a telephone conversation of mine with Mr. A. D. Blackburn, of the British Legation,63 from which the Department will see that the British Legation is also protesting against the application of the business tax to British merchants at Hankow.
Respectfully yours,