125.633/8–1949: Telegram
The Counselor of Embassy in China (Jones) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 19—9:21 a. m.]
1834. British Embassy has shown us report of former British ConGen, Graham, Mukden, who arrived Peiping July 29. It confirms our worst suspicions, namely, that “AmConGen staff have been complete prisoners”. On other hand, report continues, British have been entirely at liberty and their position recently has been improving. For instance British ConGen telephone was finally restored July 25, auto license may be granted soon and plain-clothes guards at British ConGen gate seem to have been withdrawn about beginning of July. These guards were previously an intolerable nuisance but British ConGen believes this was due merely to overzealousness of illiterate soldiers since difficulties were usually ironed out after reference to higher Commie authorities.
It seems to us that Graham’s report is unjustifiably cheerful for facts remain that during many months he was incommunicado, had no auto, was unable to arrange for his fiancée to join him and must have suffered many humiliations to his official position. It, however, still seems apparent that Commies do not wish to force out British ConGen as they have AmConGen. French ConGen is reportedly in even better situation than British ConGen. Why Commies are showing such relatively favorable consideration to British and French ConGens, given Soviet-type iron curtain which has descended around Manchuria, we are unable to explain.
Sent Department, repeated Shanghai 1013, Embassy Canton 779. Department pass Peiping.