793.003 Manchuria/19
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs (Hamilton)
Mr. Henry, of the French Embassy, telephoned on November 27 and inquired whether the American Government contemplated making representations in regard to the announced intent of the authorities in Manchuria to disregard the extraterritorial rights of foreigners.
On November 29, Mr. Gaucheron, of the French Embassy, telephoned in regard to the same matter and I informed Mr. Gaucheron that the Department had instructed the Embassy at Tokyo to make representations to the Japanese Government and the Consul at Mukden to make representations to the “Manchukuoan” authorities. Mr. Gaucheron inquired as to our attitude in case the “Manchukuoan” authorities should take an American into custody. I told him that that case had not yet arisen but that there had arisen a case involving an American bank in which it appeared that the “Manchukuoan” authorities contemplated asserting jurisdiction over this American concern. I said that we were registering objection to such an attempt [Page 943] to assert jurisdiction over American nationals; that we were registering objection in this particular case and were also registering a general objection. Mr. Gaucheron thanked me for this information.65
- Mr. Gaucheron on December 7 informed Mr. Hamilton of French representations in Tokyo and Manchuria concerning French extraterritorial rights in Manchuria.↩