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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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