393.1115/5046: Telegram
The Vice Consul at Dairen (Richardson) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 27—8:50 a.m.]
Reference the Embassy’s telegram of October 23, 5 p.m. [to Dairen]. Police interference with the Consulate has entirely stopped. From the viewpoint of reciprocity, however, the treatment of Americans in the Kwantung leased territory leaves much to be desired. An American citizen who is returning to the United States applied for foreign exchange to the value of United States dollars $250 but was allowed only $100, although Japanese leaving the United States can take with them $500 without formalities.53 (This difference in treatment, in addition to causing more inconvenience to Americans than to Japanese, reduces Japanese frozen credits in the United States more rapidly than American credits in Japan are reduced.)
Another American citizen who is returning to the United States on a visit was refused permission to take with him a ring, his watch, cuff links and necktie pin until a local resident gave a written guarantee that the traveler would bring the articles back with him when he returned.
[Page 437]Chase54 and I are very anxious to ship to the United States our household effects which include a considerable proportion of Chase’s total effects and all of mine. On August 18 the Consulate reported to the Embassy at Tokyo that the local authorities demanded a detailed list of the effects to be shipped to be submitted with the application for permission to ship. The Embassy took up the question with the Foreign Office at Tokyo and on September 17 informed the Consulate that the Foreign Office had stated that the Japanese Embassy at Hsinking had stated that while no special permit from the Japanese Ambassador to Manchukuo (who is concurrently the chief official of the Kwantung Government) was necessary for the shipment of our effects, it would be advisable to request through the Embassy at Hsinking “customs privileges.”
This was done on September 20. No answer, nor even an acknowledgement of the request, has yet been received.55 This was reported on October 13 to the Embassy at Tokyo, which immediately made further representations to the Foreign Office, which promised every assistance.
The Consulate has just been told informally and unofficially that it has been decided by the authorities of the Kwantung bureau in Hsinking that we must make application for permission to ship listing every individual article in each packing case and giving the value of each article.
This would involve unpacking, listing and repacking of all articles in use in two houses of medium size, which in addition to taking a long time would be very expensive.
The Consulate has been unable up to the present to obtain written confirmation of the above mentioned decision of the authorities in Hsinking or even any indication that our request is being considered.
From the constant delay and the new demands continually brought forward it appears obvious that Hsinking authorities, probably directed by the economic section of the Kwantung army, which has ultimate control in Manchuria over export and import permits are actuated not by a desire to enforce regulations but by the wish to obstruct and if possible and [sic] to prevent the shipment of our effects without giving direct refusal.
Sent to Peiping, repeated to Tokyo.
- Marginal notation by the Assistant Secretary of State (Acheson): “$250 is the correct figure. D. A.”↩
- Augustus S. Chase, Consul at Dairen, who was ill.↩
- Marginal notation by the Adviser on Political Relations (Hornbeck): “I think it is time (high time) for retaliation—which would be easy. SKH.” To this Mr. Acheson added: “I agree. DA.” On November 18, however, Mr. Hamilton initialed a memorandum to Dr. Hornbeck which concluded that “there is no need for Departmental action on the telegram under reference, at least not until we hear that the Japanese in Dairen are not abiding by the procedure governing departing Americans to be established by the Japanese Government on a reciprocal basis.”↩