811.5034 (China) Thrift Corp./40: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 10—7 a.m.]
42. Embassy’s 37, October 8, noon and Shanghai’s 592, October 9, 7 p.m.10 Following from Harbin:
“October 9, 3 p.m. My October 7, 7 p.m. Thriftcor Bank has received a telegram from H. D. Roger, the bank’s attorney and vice president in Shanghai, stating that the United States Court for China has refused American jurisdiction, that Shanghai liquidation must be separate from that in Manchuria and that each liquidation must be under local law.
[Page 1103]If this information is officially confirmed I believe that I should issue a simple announcement locally that American authorities have declined to assume jurisdiction in order to prevent impression that local authorities have assumed jurisdiction in derogation of American extraterritorial rights. I suggest approval of issuing such a statement if Roger’s message is officially confirmed.”
Embassy has repeated Adams’ telegram to Shanghai for the Judge of the United States Court for China with the following comments. “Do you authorize Adams to issue an announcement that the American authorities have declined to assume jurisdiction over the Thriftcor Bank? Please telegraph Adams directly through the Consul General at Shanghai notifying the Embassy, or if you prefer I will instruct Adams if you concur in the proposal to issue the announcement in question and will so inform me by telegraph.”
- Neither printed.↩