Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1937, The Far East, Volume III

893.5151 Manchuria/11: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Counselor of Embassy in China (Lockhart), at Peiping

Washington, October 19, 1937—3 p.m.

333. Your 668, October 18, noon.

1. Please telegraph Consul at Mukden to proceed at an early date to Hsinking and to approach the authorities there with a view to obtaining confirmation of the provisions contained in the orders that Japanese yen is stated not to be a foreign currency and that Japan is stated not to be a foreign country as well as of any other provisions that may be discriminatory. If confirmation is obtained the Department desires that the Consul point out that such measures are clearly inconsistent with pledges given by the authorities in Manchuria to maintain the open door, and he may state that such discrimination has created a very unfavorable impression in the United States. He may in his discretion leave an informal memorandum with the Hsinking authorities.

2. Before proceeding to Hsinking, the Consul should consult with his principally interested colleagues.

3. Instruct Mukden also to keep the Department currently informed by telegraph.

4. Please repeat to Tokyo with the request as from the Department that the Ambassador telegraph his recommendations to the Department as to whether it would be opportune and useful for the Embassy to make representations at Tokyo on this matter at this time.

Hull