793.94/4693: Telegram
The Consul at Geneva (Gilbert) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:10 a.m.]
113. The Secretary General has circulated the following communication received from the Chinese delegation:
“For the information of the Assembly I have the honor to communicate to you the following telegram dated March 9th which I have just received from the Honorable Mr. T. V. Soong, Vice President of the Council of Ministers and concurrently Minister of Finance.
Inspector General F. W. Maze reported receipt of the following telegrams dated March 8th from R. M. Talbot, Commissioner of Customs at Antung, Manchuria:
- (1)
- ‘The Japanese Consul privately Informs me to be prepared for request from the Superintendent to hand over possibly at once’.
- (2)
- ‘The Superintendent received instructions from the Northeast Administrative Committee that the customs be under its control; that the Superintendent carry on; and that a certain Japanese has been “invited to be adviser of your office”. When there is any question you are to consult with him how to carry on’.
Two other Japanese appointees have arrived to assist in taking over but no indication as yet how the new customs is to be staffed. The Consul says the present customs employees have the option of joining up but the old salaries, et cetera, will not be paid.
In submitting the above I have the honor to state that my Government will not for a moment countenance the usurpation or [of?] its administrative powers by the so-called Northeast Administrative Committee at the instigation of the Japanese authorities for the taking over of such customs revenues cannot but disrupt the services of domestic and foreign loans secured thereon. W. W. Yen.”