893.711/101: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in China (Johnson)
Washington, April 1,
1933—noon.
105. Your 275, March 25, 9 a.m.
- 1.
- Department notes that the Chinese authorities are again pressing foreign publishers to register; that, according to the Shanghai Postal Commissioner, the said authorities have requested that the American, British, French and Japanese Legations instruct their nationals to register; that the British Legation, without your knowledge, accepted oral assurances that the penal sections of the law and those sections with regard to administration by the Kuomintang would not be applied to British publications; and that, subject to the Department’s comment, you are inclined to take action in accordance with the Department’s instructions of March 9, requesting a written undertaking from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs specifically exempting American publications from the operation of the penal clauses of the law and the requirement for registration with the Central Party Headquarters.
- 2.
- From the beginning of this case (see Department’s 356, October 24, 1932, 3 p.m.80 last paragraph), the Department has indicated to you that it wishes to know the views of other interested powers and action taken by them. The reason for desiring this information was to enable the Department (a) to coordinate, if possible, its views and actions with those of the other interested powers so that the American Government’s position in relation to the various problems arising out of similar treaty rights might, if consonant with our proper interests, be in line with that of the other interested powers, and (b) to benefit by knowledge of all available pertinent data on the subject. In order, therefore, to attain these objectives, the Department desires that you keep in close touch with your colleagues and keep Department informed.
- 3.
- The Department’s views with regard to the position that you should take in connection with the present case remain unchanged. However, as the French and Japanese Legations appear now to be [Page 687] confronted with the same problem as the American and British Legations, you should, before communicating to the Chinese Government the attitude of the American Government, endeavor to ascertain the views and attitude of the French and Japanese Legations. In case the views of those Legations are found substantially similar to the views of the Department, you should inform the Chinese Foreign Office of this Government’s attitude, bearing in mind the desirability that the time of forwarding replies of the American, French and Japanese Legations be synchronized, if practicable. In case the French and Japanese views do not accord with the views expressed by the Department, you should inform the Department and submit your recommendations.
Hull