693.94244/19: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 19—1:35 p.m.]
249. My 248, May 18, 11 a.m.85 The devastating effects of smuggling continues to be discussed in the press. No effective anti-smuggling measures have yet been developed. Measures advocated include (1) establishment of customs houses at points along Peiping–Hankow and Tientsin–Pukow Railways, and (2) establishment of separate anti-smuggling organization to which the Inspector General of Customs is reported to have objected on the grounds that the present preventive organization is adequate.
I am informed by Reuter’s Peiping correspondent that the following Reuter’s report from Shanghai dated May 18 is doubtless an official written statement given to the press by the Inspector General of Customs:
“Sir Frederick Maze, Inspector General of Customs, officially reporting to the Chinese Government on smuggling from Manchuria and Darien into North China states that the varieties of smuggling [Page 160] goods are increasing daily while a progressive decrease in customs revenue is shown at many ports. For example, during the past 4 months the Tientsin collections have dropped 23 percent, reports Sir Frederick. He goes on to say that unless the customs preventive department is free to resume normal operations in the North, including the rearming of vessels and shore stations, and unless the railway authorities in the North are enabled to cooperate with the customs authorities ‘it is idle to expect any improvement in the existing unprecedented and serious situation.’ It is generally believed there that the Nanking authorities hesitate to rearm the customs vessels in northern waters owing to the risk of incidents.”
- Not printed.↩