793.94/7116: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 26—9:15 a.m.]
315. The Executive Yuan appointed on June 25 General Shang Chen to be chairman of the Hopei Provincial Administration concurrently with his position as Commander of Peace Preservation Corps at Tientsin and Tangku and Cheng Keh (Legation’s 309, June 24, 4 p.m.) as Mayor of Tientsin.
According to the official source mentioned in the first paragraph of my telegram No. 283, June 16, 7 p.m., these two appointments were made by the National Government without consultation with Japanese and without Japanese approval. He was most emphatic in this statement indicating that the alleged Japanese requirement that officials in this area be appointed only with Japanese approval has not yet been complied with. However, it is thought that appointments made so far in this area have been confined to persons who the National Government believes will be acceptable to the Japanese. Although Shang Chen is not believed to have had important relations with the Japanese in the past and is generally regarded as unquestionably [Page 277] loyal he will be stationed according to this source in Paoting and will not therefore play so important a role in Sino-Japanese affairs in this province as will Wang Keh-min. Chang Hou-wan, recent Acting Chairman of Hopei, will continue as Provincial Commissioner of Civil Affairs (Legation’s 297, June 19, 5 p.m.).
The situation continues to be quiet here and the Chahar negotiations continue to be obscure. It has so far been impossible to learn how much of Chahar Province is to be demilitarized.
Present indications are that the Japanese military intend to avoid the use of military force for attaining their further objectives (although the threat still exists) and to employ “diplomacy” thereby staying within the bounds of directions from Tokyo and making it difficult for foreign governments to allege that the Japanese military are aggressors. It is understood that conversations looking toward inexorable “cooperation” have begun between Wang Keh-min and Doihara.
By mail to Tokyo and Nanking.