893.51 Salt Funds/229: Telegram
The Chargé in China (Peck) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 4—5 a.m.]
359. My 198, March 22, 3 p.m. Lockhart has been negotiating with the Chinese authorities concerned and has now handed to the Embassy a memorandum dated May 26 describing the way in which, contrary to various undertakings given by them, the Chinese have curtailed the authority of the foreign officials of the Salt Administration and asserting that this action creates doubt in regard to the value of the salt revenue as dependable security for American and other obligations. The writer inquires whether the Embassy might not be authorized to support his position with a view to the protection of American interests involved. Text of the memorandum is going forward by air mail.81
Writer informs me that he described the situation to the British Ambassador and the latter indicated willingness to join in representations to the Chinese Government. I infer it is the writer’s intention to approach the French Ambassador when he arrives in Chungking about June 10.
Repeated to Peiping, Shanghai.
- Not printed.↩