125.9376/3–2349: Telegram
The Consul General at Tientsin (Smyth) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 25—6:47 a. m.]
160. Inquiry made today of local postal administration by Vice Consul Jenkins regarding nondelivery of mail for Consular personnel which arrived Tientsin about 1 month ago. He was told delay occasioned by censorship with view of intercepting any “reactionary” communication; censorship corps slow in being formed, but promised that all mail not inimical to interests local government would be delivered. He was told that fact mail addressed to Consulate was irrelevant; however, we believe this probably causes delay because of censorship; mail addressed to homes may possibly escape this procedure.
In our telegram 147, March 19,47 we mentioned apparent nontampering with mail between Tientsin and Peiping. Not known whether this will continue to be the case.
- Not found in Department of State files.↩