Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1939, The Far East, Volume III

693.002/913: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Japan (Dooman)

Washington, September 2, 1939—4 p.m.

273. Reference Chungking’s 514, August 29, noon, and Shanghai’s 747, August 18, 5 p.m., 780, August 31, 4 p.m.,¹² and 785, August 31, 8 p.m., all in regard to collection of customs revenue at Shanghai.

Department desires that you consult your British and French colleagues and, if and when they are prepared to take substantially similar but separate action, approach the Japanese Foreign Office in such manner as you may deem appropriate and lodge an emphatic protest, on the ground of our broad interest in the administrative integrity of the Chinese Maritime Customs, against the attempts by the Japanese-sponsored regime at Shanghai to dictate to the Customs authorities in regard to the currencies and exchange rates to be used in the collection of customs duties at Shanghai, and ask that effective steps be taken to cause the abandonment of those attempts.¹³

Sent to Tokyo. Repeated to Chungking and Peiping.

Hull

12. Telegrams Nos. 747 and 780 not printed.
13. The American, British, and French Embassies in Japan made written representations on September 6 and 11, respectively (693.002/934); for the American note, see Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. i, p. 749.