Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1935, The Far East, Volume III

893.113 Airplanes/113: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Second Secretary of Legation in China (Atcheson), at Nanking

Washington, August 27, 1935—6 p.m.

69. Your 255, August 24, 6 a.m., and 257, August 26, 11 a.m.⁷⁶ Please refer to the Legation’s circular instruction No. 204 of February 18, 1933,⁷⁷ particularly ante-penultimate paragraph.

The airplanes which the Chinese Military Administration wishes to purchase for purposes of aerial survey would seem to fall within the category of articles for which a license would be required for export from the United States to China. Therefore, unless there are inherent in the situation outlined in your telegrams under reference factors in addition to those mentioned by you, which would warrant the making of an exception to the Department’s normal ruling that official channels of communication be not used for the transmission of inquiries or offers between prospective purchasers and sellers, Department would prefer that the Military Administration form its own connections with American manufacturers.

In the event that the Military Administration desires to communicate directly with the Stinson Aircraft Corporation, it is understood that telegrams may be addressed “Stinaircor, Detroit, Michigan.”

As an alternative, the Military Administration might wish to take the matter up through the Chinese Embassy here, in which case Department would be prepared to assist Chinese Ambassador to extent of supplying needed information.

Hull

76. Neither printed.
77. Not printed; but see Department’s instruction No. 974, January 16, 1933, Foreign Relations, 1933, vol. iii, p. 559.