893.05/89: Telegram
The Minister in China ( MacMurray ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:15 p.m.]
133. The following from American consul, Hankow:
“February 10, 3 p.m. The Hsiakow magistrate here has notified me in writing and other consular officers here that the Central Executive [Page 467] Committee of the Nationalist Government has passed the following resolution:
‘The trial by the Hsiakow’s court of mixed cases should be stopped; such cases should be tried and adjusted by the Hankow city court but the Peking procedure should be disapproved and the witnessing of the trial should be rejected.
The ‘witnessing’ relates to the presence of a consular representative. The magistrate states he will at once discontinue accepting jurisdiction over mob violence cases. The instruction was received by the Hsiakow magistrate from the Hupeh Political Affairs Commission. I had no previous notice and hoped in the usual course of correspondence such notice would come from him or from the office of the Commissioner of Foreign Affairs definitely. He asked that no action be taken in the matter until he has communicated directly with me and it is now reported to you for information only. Mail despatch25 containing further details follows.”
- Not printed.↩