393.4121 (M)/1: Telegram
The Minister in China ( Johnson ) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 1—8:30 a.m.]
390. Following from American Consul General at Mukden:
“July 31, 2 p.m. I am informed by the British Consul General that he has been unable to obtain any satisfaction from the Japanese authorities regarding his protest against the arrest and detention for 3 days by Japanese police at Hsinking 4 weeks ago of a British subject named…who had been involved in a café brawl. He has been also advised by his Embassy at Tokyo that yesterday Tokyo Foreign Office spokesman informed foreign newspaper correspondents that nationals in ‘Manchukuo’ of non-recognizing powers could not expect to enjoy extraterritoriality.”
Ballantine continues to the effect that he concurs in the views of his British colleague [that if?] the “Manchukuo” government continues to deny extraterritorial rights in concrete cases it will become almost impossible for the consular representatives to afford effective protection to their nationals and that such protection is difficult even under existing abnormal conditions because of the studied policy of excluding foreign business interests and the antiforeign feeling prevalent among [Page 325] the petty civil and military officials of Japanese nationality over whom Central Government exercises but little control.
Ballantine is being directed to submit full report by mail.62
- Not printed.↩