893.4061 MP/10–1148: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 12—1:19 a.m.]
1886. Foreign Office note7 replying to Embassy note copy of which we enclosed in Embassy confidential despatch No. 343, August 11, concerning censorship regulations on motion pictures, states that to waive the censorship on USIS8 films “would be inappropriate since it is a general ruling. However, since representation has been made in writing the Ministry’s Motion Picture Censorship Bureau will be instructed to extend as full and as prompt facilities as possible in handling of such matters”.
Embassy sees little use further protest and suggests we inform Chinese Foreign Office that we note with regret Chinese Government’s insistence film censorship and reluctantly agree to comply therewith, expressing our conviction measures provisional only during national emergency.
On question of principle of censorship we have protested fully (see enclosure Embassy despatch under reference) and our position is on the record. Department may wish to take occasion to mention its disapproval of censorship also to Chinese Embassy Washington. Foreign Office has assured us as reported reference despatch of expeditious handling of mechanics of censorship. It would seem unwise to further belabor our point on principle when National Government is engaged in serious civil war and feels need of taking, rightly or wrongly, extreme precautionary measures in many fields.
Department’s instruction requested.9 Sent Department 1886; repeated Shanghai 918.