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AIDE-MEMOIRE

213

Reference is made to the British Embassy's

aide-memoire of May 18, 1939, in which there is

quoted as evidence of a concerted plan to increase

pressure upon foreign interests in China a

translation published in the Peking Chronicle of

communiqué issued on May 6 by a Japanese military

spokesman in regard to the Legation Quarter at

Peiping and the foreign concessions at Tientsin.

The British Embassy expresses the hope that the

American Embassy at Tokyo may be authorized to

make representations to the Japanese Government in

regard to the Legation quarter at Peiping parallel

to representations which the British Ambassador at

Tokyo has been instructed to make.

The Department of State, after careful

consideration of the British Embassy's memorandum

and of the factors involved in the situation as a

whole which affect the endeavors of the Government

of the United States to safeguard through

appropriate means Americans rights and interests in

China, is doubtful whether it would be advisable

for this Government to take cognizance of, as grounds

for representations to the Japanese Government, the

communiqué under reference. In the British Embassy's

aide-mémoire mention was made of the representations

made by the American Ambassador at Tokyo in regard

to the International Settlement at Shanghai. This

Government has also recently made representations in

regard to the International Settlement at Kulangsu

and on two occasions earlier this year has made

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representations/

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