Office of the Historian

693.002/433: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)

Washington, December 25, 1937—2 p.m.

375. Reference Department’s 366, December 21, 6 p.m., and your 675, December 23, 10 p.m.24

The British Embassy has left at the Department an aide-mémoire under date December 2425 which (1) refers to reports that the Commissioner of Customs at Tientsin has been compelled by the Provisional Government set up by the Japanese Army to accept the authority of the regime at Peiping without as yet severing actually his connection with the Inspector General at Shanghai; (2) mentions the danger that the Japanese military may place customs houses and funds at Tientsin and other ports, including Shanghai, in the possession of the new regime at Peiping; (3) states that a new tariff for North China is also proposed; (4) points out that if the plans for Tientsin are successful they will probably be repeated at other places [Page 910] and that the Japanese Government will probably have to endorse a fait accompli brought about by the military even though it may profess an unwillingness to destroy the integrity of the Chinese Customs; (5) states that the British Ambassador in Tokyo has been instructed to urge upon the Japanese Government that it and the Japanese military authorities refrain from undermining or destroying the authority of the Inspectorate General or disrupting the customs service; and (6) expresses the British Government’s hope that you may be authorized to take similar action.

Please consult with your British colleague and, when you ascertain that he is prepared to act, you are authorized to make an approach to the Japanese Government in such manner as you deem appropriate. The Department desires that you urge upon the Japanese Government the importance of action not being taken or countenanced by the Japanese authorities, including the military authorities, which will impair the authority of the present Chinese Customs Administration or disrupt the service. You may also emphasize this Government’s interest in the preservation of the integrity of the Customs and the safeguarding of customs revenue, and again express a desire to receive the assurances listed in Department’s 339, December 12, 3 p.m.

Repeated to Hankow for the information of the Ambassador and to Shanghai and Peiping.

Hull
  1. Latter reported that action had been taken.↩
  2. Not printed.↩