693.002/479: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan ( Grew ) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 2—10:35 a.m.]
70. Our 59, January 31, 4 p.m., integrity of Chinese customs. My French colleague yesterday evening addressed to the Japanese Government a note along lines similar to ours but containing an additional paragraph stating in translation:
“In view of the influence exercised at Peiping (sic) by the Imperial Government, my Government considers in addition that it will be obliged to hold the Imperial Government responsible for damages to French rights and interests which may result from an arbitrary revision of the customs tariffs in China”.
The Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs informed my British colleague yesterday that the tariff revision had been effected to meet the difficult economic situation obtaining in China and that there were precedents for such action during former periods of famine. Craigie51 obtained Horinouchi’s oral admission that the Provisional Régime in North China could not have taken such a step without the approval of the Japanese Army; Craigie then pointed out that the responsibility rested squarely on the Japanese Government which should have consulted the other interested powers before permitting such action.
Repeated to Shanghai for Hankow and Peiping.
- Sir Robert L. Craigie, British Ambassador in Japan.↩