861.77 Chinese Eastern/1154: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 21—4 a.m.]
347. Tokyo’s 83, April 19, 7 p.m., to the Department. Consul General at Harbin reports April 18, 5 p.m., that Manchukuo Ministry of Communications on March 30th told Soviet Vice President of Chinese Eastern Railway that Manchukuo would not compromise. During first week in April about 300 cars and locomotives were removed into Siberia and on April 8th Japanese ordered frontier at Manchuli closed. April 10th demand was made for return of rolling stock within 1 month to which verbal reply was received that cars would be returned but not “decapod” locomotives. Japanese carrying on press campaign with [against?] Soviet Vice President and General Manager of the Chinese Eastern Railway demanding their arrest and deportation.
Chinese railway officials and Hanson believe Soviets will yield as [Page 284] regards return of cars and small locomotives but not as regards “decapod” which had been ordered for railways in Russia proper and not for Chinese Eastern Railway but had been kept in Manchuria due to the overthrow of Imperial regime.