600.939/226: Telegram
The Consul General at Tientsin (Caldwell) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 22—1:45 p.m.]
137. My 135, July 21, 1 p.m.,51 and Tokyo’s 479, July 21, 7 p.m. Communication from Superintendent of Customs dated July 21st quotes Provisional Government order July 18th stating that embargo covers “untanned cow hides, and sheep, goat, and lamb skins, but all kinds of fine furs and skins are not banned. We have to explain clearly as follows: (1) sheepskins; (2) slink skins (with hair longer than 25 millimeters); and (3) lamb skins. The exportation of the articles above mentioned is prohibited by this order but other than these, all fine furs and skins, no matter whether previously purchased or bought after the issuance of the ban, are permitted to be exported.”
In view of his suggested exemption from embargo of expensive lamb skins, mentioned in my telegram 135, and absence of Superintendent [Page 33] in Peiping, Commissioner of Customs has so far refrained from issuing notice of modification of embargo, pending which embargo is not being relaxed. Customs state that notice will not be issued until after return of Superintendent, probably not before Monday, July 25.
In acknowledging receipt of communication from Superintendent, I have reminded him that when I called on him on July 1st, I objected not merely to embargo on hides and skins suitable for military use but to an embargo on any hides and skins normally exported to the United States and that I had asked that pending discussion of this question all hides and skins ready for shipment to the United States on June 28th be released for export.
Repeated to Peiping, Hankow and Tokyo.
- Not printed.↩