693.002/931: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Japan (Dooman)
297. Reference Shanghai’s 847, September 22, 3 p.m., Chinese Maritime Customs. Please consult your British and French colleagues and, if and when they are prepared to take separate but substantially [Page 862] similar action, make an approach to the Japanese Foreign Office in such manner as you may deem appropriate along lines as follows:19
The Government of the United States has received information to the effect that a new regime sponsored by the Japanese forces in China may soon be established at Nanking; that it is planned that such new regime will offer to the Inspector General of the Chinese Maritime Customs a position similar to that which he now holds under appointment by the National Government of China; and that should he refuse to accept that offer he would be prevented from further exercise of his present functions as Inspector General in Chinese territory under the control of the new Japanese-sponsored regime.
It is the opinion of the Government of the United States that such action would constitute a serious disruption of the Chinese Maritime Customs. This Government has repeatedly expressed to the Japanese Government its rightful interest in the preservation of the administrative integrity of the Chinese Maritime Customs and it again earnestly requests that the Japanese Government refrain from action, either directly through its own agencies or indirectly through the agencies of any Japanese-sponsored regime in China, tending to destroy the administrative integrity of the Chinese Maritime Customs.
Sent to Tokyo via Shanghai. Repeated to Chungking and Peiping.
- The American, British, and French Embassies in Japan made similar representations on October 26; for the American note, No. 1405, see Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. i, p. 750. For the Japanese reply, see note No. 203, December 28, ibid., p. 751.↩