Office of the Historian

893.102 Tientsin/552: Telegram

The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State

Tokyo, January 17, 1940—6 p.m.
[Received January 18—4:05 a.m.]

25. Our telegram No. 682, December 16, 11 a.m., 1939.97

1.
We were informed by the British Embassy this morning that, with the exception of the problem of radio stations in the British Concession [Page 843] and one point of general policy, settlement of the police questions at Tientsin has been agreed upon by the British and Japanese officials here in Tokyo. Tentative agreement has been reached for the settlement of the question of radio stations. The Japanese had objected to allowing continued operation of the stations until such time as the British authorities were convinced that the de facto government was offering satisfactory radio communication services (please refer to page 3 section C of enclosure No. 4 in Embassy’s despatch No. 4102, August 24 [25], 193998). It is now proposed that the de facto Chinese authorities purchase the radio station owned by an American firm, presumably the American radio service station. The Japanese authorities in Tokyo are said to have wholeheartedly accepted this proposal but that it was less enthusiastically received by the Japanese authorities in Tientsin, owing to probable difficulties in arranging payment for the property. Our British informant said that the American station was in a doubtful legal position and might be closed by the municipal authorities of the Concession at any time, but that it was hoped that sale of the station would satisfy the Japanese and make possible the continuance of the convenient service now available. He said that the American Consul General in Tientsin99 has been informed of this proposal.
2.
The question of the silver in the Concession is still under discussion at Chungking and the various agreements which are being reached here in Tokyo on other questions will not be announced until such time as the silver and other questions are settled.

Sent to Department via Peiping. Peiping please repeat to Tientsin, Chungking. Repeated to Tientsin, Chungking.

Grew
  1. Not printed.↩
  2. Foreign Relations, 1939, vol. iv, p. 238; enclosure not printed.↩
  3. John K. Caldwell.↩