693.002/626: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 3—1:29 a.m.]
290. Our 286, Chinese Maritime Customs.84 Craigie has just informed me that owing to a misunderstanding, his Government released last night for publication in this morning’s London papers, the press communiqué containing the final sentence in paragraph 1 that: “It is further understood that the Governments of the United States and France do not propose to raise any objection to the temporary application of these arrangements.” Craigie expresses sincere regret for this unfortunate occurrence and requests me so to inform you. He thought that his Government would not release the communiqué until tomorrow and that there would be plenty of time for him to have the sentence concerning the American attitude eliminated if it is true, after I had received and communicated to him the Department’s final instructions. I also expressed regret and pointed out the unfortunate repercussions which might occur in case the statement under reference in the communiqué should prove to be inaccurate. I told him that I was expecting the Department’s final instructions at any moment but [Page 695] that I had already informed him 2 days ago that the Department’s reaction to his proposal for an inquiry from the Japanese Government regarding our attitude was unfavorable and that the Department had already gone on record as saying that it had no comment to make on the general terms of the arrangement.
Craigie states that the sentence quoted above will be eliminated from the communiqué to be issued in Japan today.
Repeated to Shanghai for Hankow.