893.51/6915: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Charge in Japan (Dooman)
Washington, June 23,
1939—7 p.m.
171. Reference Chungking’s 373, June 10, 11 a.m., and 377, June 12, 9 a.m., which Chungking is being instructed to repeat to you.
- 1.
- The Department has received from the Chinese Embassy here a communication under date June 8, 1939, transmitting inter alia the request of the Chinese Minister of Finance that the Government of the United States urge the Japanese Government to allow utilization of the customs and salt revenues in the areas occupied by Japanese forces for the servicing of the debts secured thereon.
- 2.
- Department desires that after consultation with your British and French colleagues, and if either or both of them are prepared to take substantially similar action, you make an informal approach at an opportune time to the Japanese Ministry for Foreign Affairs and express orally the hope that the Japanese authorities will make available the customs and salt revenues in the areas occupied by Japanese forces for the servicing of the obligations secured thereon, basing [Page 847] your expression of hope upon the American interest in certain of those obligations. The Department would desire that you refrain from becoming involved in any negotiations or discussions that might occur in regard to ways and means for making available the revenues in question for the servicing of the obligations secured thereon.
- 3.
- Chungking should repeat to Tokyo its telegrams under reference.
Repeated to Chungking and Peiping.
Hull