711.00111 Lic.Douglas Anticraft Co. Inc./93/118

Memorandum by the Chief of the Office of Arms and Munitions Control (Green)86

Mr. Richard M. Mock, American representative of N. V. Neder-landsche Vliegtuigenfabriek Fokker, called me by telephone from New York this morning. He referred to the pending application by the Douglas Aircraft Company for a license to export three planes to Outer Mongolia. He said that Mr. Douglas had sent a telegram to the Douglas representative in Hong Kong and had instructed him to proceed to Hankow to confer with the Chinese authorities with a view to having them send appropriate instructions to the Chinese Ambassador in Washington, in order that the latter might inform the Department that his Government wished an export license to be issued. He said that Mr. Douglas had now received a telegraphic reply from his representative at Hong Kong saying that his visit to Hankow had been fruitless as the Central Government was unwilling to send instructions to its Ambassador to Washington until the Urga Government had requested it to make arrangements to admit the planes. This, it was understood, the Urga Government was unwilling to do as it considers itself independent of the control of the Central Government in respect to such matters.

Mr. Mock said that he was leaving tomorrow for Europe, and that he hoped that when the situation had been made clear to his principals they might find it possible to persuade the Urga Government to take action. He said that he feared, however, the Urga Government would refuse to take the necessary action and Outer Mongolia would hereafter purchase planes exclusively in countries which were not so meticulous in the issuance of export licenses.

This is an absurd situation. I shall take up the question once more with the Chinese Ambassador if FE86a thinks that such action might possibly serve any useful purpose. For my part, our past experience leads me to the conclusion that further conversation with the Ambassador would probably be of no avail. I suggest, therefore, that we should consider the advisability of making an exception in regard to these planes. The President’s Proclamation of January 31, 192287 delegates unlimited authority to the Secretary of State to prescribe exceptions. If an exception were made permitting the granting of an [Page 600] export license without awaiting an expression of approval from the Chinese Embassy, the license could be legally issued forthwith.

I should appreciate it if I might discuss this situation with you at your convenience.

J[oseph] C. G[reen]
  1. Addressed to Division of Far Eastern Affairs.
  2. Division of Far Eastern Affairs.
  3. Foreign Relations, 1922, vol. i, p. 726.