693.002/390: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 19—6:30 a.m.]
827. My 817, October 16, 1 [3] p.m.95 The British Chargé d’Affaires informed me yesterday that the Minister for Foreign Affairs told him confidentially October 16 that he himself regarded preservation of the Customs Administration as the paramount issue and that he would be willing to accept the original Japanese proposal for the Tientsin area if that were the best arrangement possible. He said that [Page 877] he would attempt to obtain the concurrence of his colleagues but he anticipated great difficulty.
Sent to the Department, repeated to Peiping and Tokyo.
- Not printed.↩