693.002/766: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
377. Your 686, October 26, 5 p.m., in regard to the Chinese Maritime Customs. The Department has received from the British Embassy at Washington an aide-mémoire over date October 2922 containing information substantially in accord with that contained in your telegram under reference and saying in addition that the Inspector General of Customs has received information that the Japanese Government intends in the immediate future to demand a considerable increase in the Japanese personnel of the Chinese customs service. The British Embassy suggests that in such event it might be helpful if the interested powers were to make parallel representations to the effect that while increases in the Japanese personnel in the customs [Page 748] staff is not necessarily undesirable, it is impossible, pending the cessation of hostilities and the restoration of normal conditions, to determine whether such increase is desirable.
The Department has replied that it concurs in the views expressed by you in your telegram under reference but that it would prefer to await further Japanese demands upon the customs before reaching a definite decision in regard to appropriate action to meet such demands. The Department added, however, that it was inclined to agree in principle that parallel representations by the interested governments might be desirable if and when the Japanese authorities or a regime supported by them take steps in derogation of the integrity of the Chinese Maritime Customs.
Repeated to Chungking and Peiping.
- Not printed.↩