893.00/1–2149: Telegram
The Consul General at Tientsin (Smyth) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 21—7:44 a. m.]
104. This morning Jenkins12 and I had 1-hour talk with Yang Piao, newly arrived head of Foreign Affairs Bureau. He said Bureau was not formally functioning as at present there can be no formal [Page 1053] relations with, by inference, countries which do not recognize Communist government. He said, however, that any individual foreigners as private persons, could write to them if they had any problems. (So far in practice they have not always insisted on this and some minor matters have been taken up orally. For example, Yang obtained return of French motor car mentioned ourtel 78, January 17.13)
We discussed with him question of our radio which Communists under regulations announced yesterday (ourtel 100, January 2013) forbidding operation sending stations after 72 hours from morning of January 20. We pointed out advantages of fact that we had been able to report promptly safety of American and other foreign nationals. We requested we be permitted to continue to operate station. He said he would transmit request to appropriate authorities.
We said for 2 months now there had been no word from our Mukden Consular staff and that we were very much concerned. He said he had no information but would transmit for inquiry to appropriate authorities.
During our talk he made it clear he had no authority to make decisions on matters or answer inquiries raised by us. Thus inability to obtain information on decisions is characteristic of experience of other foreigners with various Communist officials. It is possible that much of this indecision may be due to their inexperience and confusion in initial period. Communists themselves admit they have much to learn but profess they are anxious to learn and to use available talents satisfactory to them).