Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1938, The Far East, Volume IV

893.515/1313: Telegram

The First Secretary of Embassy in China (Salisbury) to the Secretary of State

Peiping, May 27, 1938—4 p.m.
[Received May 28—6 a.m.]

330. Embassy’s 320, May 25, 5 p.m.²⁹ An undated proclamation carried by today’s press over the signature of Wang Keh Min³⁰ prohibits circulation, after June 10, of notes of Banks of China and Communications except for North China issued [issues?] and of the following banks: Land Bank of China, Commercial Guarantee Bank of Chihli, China Development Bank, National Commercial Bank, Tah Chung Bank, Frontier Bank, Agricultural and Industrial Bank of China, Central Bank of China, China and South Seas Bank, Commercial Bank of China, Bank of Agriculture and Commerce, Ningpo Commercial and Savings Bank, Farmers Bank of China.

At end of proclamation there is admonition to holders of such notes to take steps to change them from [for?] Federal Reserve Bank notes before expiration of the time limit “in order to avoid unexpected losses”. It is stated also that such notes are not to be given or received after June 10 but that this does not apply to the receipt by the various banks of their own notes.

Sent to Ambassador [at] Hankow, Shanghai, by mail to Tokyo and Tientsin.

Salisbury

29. Not printed.
30. Head of the Japanese-sponsored Provisional Government at Peiping.