600.939/362
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs (Hamilton)
During a call the French Ambassador referred to previous conversations which he had held with Mr. Welles in regard to the putting into effect by the provisional régime in north China of additional export restrictions, effective as from July 17. The French Ambassador said that the French Government and the British Government were considering making representations to the Japanese Government in regard to this matter. He said that they were contemplating making representations also to the Chinese Government in regard to the restrictions which the Chinese Government had placed upon foreign trade. He inquired as to our attitude. I told the Ambassador that, when we had received from our offices in China information in regard to the new regulations of the provisional régime at Peiping providing that as from July 17 all export commodities in north China would be subject to control, we had studied the matter in the Division of Far Eastern Affairs and had reached the tentative conclusion here that, in view of previous representations which this Government had already made to the Japanese Government in regard to trade restrictions and export control in north China, including the statements on that subject contained in this Government’s notes of October 6 and December 31 [30] to the Japanese Government, no useful purpose would be served by the making of additional representations with regard to the new export control measures of the provisional régime in north China.
The Ambassador inquired as to whether the British Government had approached us in the matter. I replied that according to my recollection the British Government had not done so.