CO129-556-13 Traffic in arms to China 6-1-1936 - 13-1-1937 — Page 59

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Furthermore it would appear that the

Cantonese authorities entered into contracts with the German and French mamifacturers referred to

above rather than with British or American manufac-

turers, for the specific reason that the former would be able to make delivery of the articles con- tracted for without obliging the Cantonese authorities

to obtain huchaos from the Central Government.

If the information which I have received

is accurate -- and I have reason to believe it to be so -- it would appear that British and American exporters and exporters of other nationalities whose governments comp ly with the regulations of the Chinese Government, in respect to the importation of arms into China, are placed at a disadvantage by the action of the Belgian, French and German Govern-

Unless the ments in permitting these shipments. Czechoslovak Government has modified its regulations

since I addressed to you on August 31, 1835 a note, in regard to a shipment of machine guns and ammuni- tion to China from Czechoslovakia, it would appear

that the Czechoslovak Government should be added

to the list of those governments whose regulations in respect to the exportation of arms to China are

not wholly satisfactory.

In my note of April 15, 1935, I informed you that, in compliance with your request, I had instructed the representatives of this Government

in Brussels and Bern to cooperate with their British

colleagues, with a view to obtaining practical

uniformity of procedure by all the governments concerned in the matter of the exportation of arms

to/

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