693.002/1130: Telegram

The Ambassador in China ( Gauss ) to the Secretary of State

414. Reference Shanghai’s No. 1424, October 4, 1 p.m. In view of the statements which Maze appears to have made to the Japanese Consul General, it seems to me that it would now be well to say to Maze that the American Government has carefully abstained from any interference with the administration of the customs, that we consider Japanese insisting upon the appointment of a Japanese national to the post of Commissioner at Shanghai as a violation of the Japanese Government’s undertaking to respect the integrity of the customs, and that it [we?] could not advise him to yield to Japanese pressure.

With reference to the last paragraph of Shanghai’s 1380 of September 27, 1 p.m., I believe that it would be inappropriate and purposeless for me to approach the Chinese Government with a view to inducing [Page 818] sympathetic understanding of the concession which Maze seems to feel he may have put down [been forced?] to make to the Japanese.

Sent to the Department. Repeated to Peiping and Shanghai. Shanghai please air mail code text to Tokyo.

Gauss