793.94/7719: Telegram
The Counselor of Embassy in China (Lockhart) to the Secretary of State
Peiping, February 11, 1936—3
p.m.
[Received February 11—1:18 p.m.]
[Received February 11—1:18 p.m.]
59. Embassy’s 44, February 4, noon.
- 1.
- Doihara arrived February 8 at Peiping from Tientsin reputedly to remain for some time. The conference of military officers at Tokyo continues and Sugiyama’s departure for Manchuria and North China (see Embassy’s 21, January 16, 4 p.m.) is reported as postponed until February 20. General Sung and the Hopei-Chahar Political Council apparently continue to procrastinate in proclaiming toward that degree of autonomy which the Japanese military desire. However, Doihara in two press interviews stated that the Council will have Japanese advisers; and a Japanese press report [Page 50] from Tsitsihar states that Shiro Nagai, director of the General Affairs Board in the Heilungkiang Provincial Government and formerly in the Tokyo Finance Bureau, will be financial adviser to the Council.
- 2.
- The Hopei-Chahar Council is considering the establishment of an education commission to supervise education, its duties probably to be restricted at the beginning to middle schools. It is understood that the commission was “suggested” by the Japanese, not “demanded”. Local educators are opposed to it, claiming that such a threat to educational liberty would cause students to demonstrate again and would result in schools and universities eventually removing from Peiping.
- 3.
- Reports here that Japanese-manufactured text books are to be used in Yin Ju Keng’s area are substantiated by Mukden’s despatch 222, February 775 which states that the Mukden Chinese press reports that 1,500,000 primary school text books compiled by the East Asia Cultural Society are being printed in Mukden for use in the area under Yin Ju Keng.
By mail to Tokyo.
Lockhart
- Not printed.↩