693.116/136: Telegram
The Consul General at Tientsin (Caldwell) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 30—12:30 a.m.]
144. My telegram No. 134, July 21, 10 a.m. Although Commissioner of Customs assured me informally on July 19th that authorization would be issued by the Superintendent of Customs for importation [Page 34] of wireless equipment, at least for that already ordered or arrived at Tientsin, on request by consular officers, and that there was no embargo on such articles but merely a resumption of a former requirement of the Chinese National Government, no notice regarding which would be issued by Customs, a communication dated July 28th from the Superintendent replying to my requests for authorization for local firms to import American wireless equipment states that he received on July 14th “instructions from the Ministry of Administrative Affairs temporarily prohibiting the importation of wireless equipment pending authenticated orders as to what equipment may be imported”; that it is accordingly “inconvenient to grant the requests” in question; and that “appropriate action will be taken” concerning wireless equipment ordered prior to embargo upon the receipt of a report from the Commissioner of Customs. It is not likely that the Superintendent will act before consulting authorities in Peiping.
I believe that import permits will not be granted unless the matter is taken up.
Repeated to Peiping, Hankow, Tokyo.