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14.
their interests as being blocked at every turn by Great Britain.
But whether they regret it or resent it, a large number have a
vague idea that it only needs some sort of undefined understand-
ing to sweep away the disputes as it were with a magic wand.
Those civilian officials in Manchoukuo who hold this view attach,
I fancy, more importance to Great Britain's attitude towards
recognition than to that of other Powers, even of America.
36. Mr. Hoshino, Director of General Affairs in the State
Council, who is popularly supposed to be the real head of the
government, claims to be a practical wan and not a politician.
By common repute and by my own experience he is more interested
in ways and means than in political or legal niceties. lany of
the officials with whom I have come in contact are of the same
bent. I have shaped my attitude accordingly and so long as it
is possible to suppress all reference to legal and diplomatic
rights, to make no suggestion of protest and merely to discuss
matters on a business footing, I have found them not unaccommo-
dating. Unfortunately circumstances sometimes arise where it is
essential to refer to Treaty rights and then the Consul of a
non-recognizing Power finds himself up against a blank wall, for
the official insists on his own interpretation of those rights
and is utterly unyielding.
37. I have taken advantage of this willingness of officials
to discuss matters so long as discussion is on a business foot-
ing and is not based on Treaty rights to bring British merchants
into direct touch with competent officials and in a number of
instances they have been enabled to obtain their share in what
little trade in 'sundries' is still allowed.
(3) Attitude Towards Treaty rights:
38. Without necessarily accepting the Høinking standpoint
or admitting that the government always lives up to it, it may
be well to state what it is. In theory the government recognizer
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