793.94/9499: Telegram
The Counselor of Embassy in China (Lockhart) to the Secretary of State
Peiping, August 19, 1937—4
p.m.
[Received August 19—7:30 a.m.]
[Received August 19—7:30 a.m.]
453. Embassy’s 448, August 18, 6 p.m.47
- 1.
- The Hopei–Chahar Political Council met last night and agreed to suspend its activities from today, including the Foreign Affairs, Finance, Communications, Reconstruction and Law Codification Commissions. Employees have been discharged, throwing some 400 out of work. Complete and permanent dissolution of the Council is expected within a few days. This will bring definitely to an end the structure of Sung Cheyuan’s régime. The Hopei-Chahar pacification headquarters was abolished August 9.
- 2.
- It is not known whether some new organ will be formed, in addition to the Peiping local maintenance committee and the association of district maintenance committees of Hopei.
- 3.
- Chiang Chao Tsung, chairman of the Peiping local committee, became Mayor of Peiping this morning as the result of action yesterday by the Hopei–Chahar Political Council. Leng Chia Chi, who was reported in the Embassy’s 416, August 11, 5 p.m.47 as becoming Mayor, was actually appointed to that post in accordance with the wishes of a group of Japanese Military but was prevented from assuming office by other group of Japanese military, headed allegedly by Matsui, Chief of the Japanese special military organ at Peiping, opposed to Leng.
Repeated to Nanking, Tokyo. Nanking repeat to Tokyo.
Lockhart