793.943 Manchuria/40: Telegram
The Counselor of Embassy in China (Lockhart) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 14—10:25 a.m.]
824. Embassy’s 800, December 3, 5 p.m. Harbin reports by despatch No. 11 December 4, that there has been promulgated an Imperial Ordinance making the law concerning foreign juridical persons effective as from December 1, 1937.
The British Embassy states that the British Consular Agency Mukden has been instructed by the Foreign Office to make representations at Hsinking regarding the above-mentioned law along lines similar to ours.
Mukden’s despatch No. 175, December 3, reporting in detail on the representations reported in the Embassy’s 800, indicates that Ohashi in making point number 4 also questioned the legal validity of such representations in the absence of recognition of Manchukuo. Mukden [Page 951] further reports, however, that: “While Mr. Ohashi clearly did not mince his words in formal reply to the representations, he was in subsequent conversation apparently anxious to convey the impression that ‘Manchukuo’ will be temperate in its attempt to assume jurisdiction over American property, nationals the [and?] firms. He asked that an explanation of the reasonableness of his Government’s attitude be conveyed to the American Government.”
Repeated to Tokyo and Embassy [at] Hankow.