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3.
argument that can be employed too freely with Japanese.
This afternoon I saw Inspector General who began
At end of
by being not less intractable than usual. aeveral hours I extracted from him following statement that if Canton authorities invited him to collect sur- taxes at Hankow and if the powers owing to disagreement amongst themselves could not present united protest to Canton government then that in the interests of his own service he would collect them. He sees clearly that unless maritime customs can be turned into an agency for collection of substantial revenues for Canton or other provincial governments its doom le scaled.
Inspector General and American and Japanese Ministeru are meeting at my house this evening when he will inform them that this is his attitude and I have some hape that this may influence two Ministers in the sense you desire.
Addressed to Foreign Office No.436. Repeated to Shanghai, Fankow, Canton via Hong Kong.
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