693.002/854: Telegram
The Chargé in China (Peck) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 7—1:25 p.m.]
245. My 239, April 5, 11 a.m. Dr. Young71 has called personally to hand me the following text of the reply of April 6 of the Minister of Finance to the communication of April 4 from the British Diplomatic Mission concerning the employment of Japanese in the Maritime Customs.
“Dear Sir. Mr. Greenway:72 With reference to your communication of April 4th concerning pressure upon the Inspector General of Customs to employ additional Japanese in senior posts in the Customs Service, I would point out that the Customs has long been an expert international service of the Chinese Government, basic principles of which are selection because of tested fitness for the work in question, without discrimination as to nationality, and promotion and transfer according to seniority and merit. As to nationality of personnel, Sir Archibald Clark-Kerr has recently been in correspondence with the Chinese Government. I have always taken the position that such appointments are not to be made on the basis of pressure from a foreign government, and particularly at this time it could scarcely be expected that as Minister of Finance I could give approval to employment of Japanese on such a basis, therefore while realizing the difficult situation with which Sir Frederick Maze has to deal and wishing to allow him reasonable freedom of action, I desire him to sustain the customs regulations and to use all practical means with the support of the friendly foreign powers, which I am confident will be given, to resist the constant Japanese pressure for increasing the number of Japanese nationals in the service.
Yours faithfully, (signed) H. H. Kung, Minister of Finance.”
Repeated to Peiping and Shanghai.