693.002 Manchuria/108
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Mellon) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 25.]
Sir: I have the honor to state that on June 13 the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs made the following statement in the House of Commons:
“The Japanese Government have informed us that they share our desire to see the integrity of the Chinese Maritime Customs maintained. Control of the Manchurian Customs by the Japanese Government would be entirely inconsistent with these assurances.”
The Acting Chief of the Far Eastern Department in the Foreign Office informed the Embassy recently that the statement was based upon a telegraphic report dated April 15 from the British Ambassador at Tokyo, which, paraphrased, reads:
“The Foreign Minister reiterated today the firm intention of the Japanese Government to avoid interference with the Customs Administration.”
Mr. MacKillop said that the Foreign Office had received no important communication from the British Ambassador at Tokyo since the message referred to in my telegram No. 197 of June 6, 5 p.m. However, it seemed to him that the. Japanese Government is trying to extricate itself from a dilemma: in view of the statement made by [Page 83] the Japanese Foreign Office that Manchuria would not be recognized until it had “all the attributes of sovereignty” it could not give way to the present popular clamor for recognition without either abandoning its previously declared position, and giving recognition before Manchuria had all the attributes of sovereignty, or acquiescing in the seizure of the Customs. Mr. MacKillop thought that the delay in making any declaration of policy in this regard by the present Japanese Government indicated its realization of the difficulties of the Japanese position, and he hoped that it would not choose to hang itself on the repudiation of the categorical engagement given to the British Ambassador.
Respectfully yours,
Counselor of Embassy