File No. 763.72111/283
The Chargé d’Affaires in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State
Peking, August 6, 1914, 12 midnight.
[Received 5 p.m.]
[Telegram]
The Chinese Government is addressing to the Department of State a request in the sense outlined in my telegram of August 3, 11 p.m. It is also simultaneously requesting the Japanese Government to cooperate with ours in this matter. It is planned that the President of China will to-morrow address his request to the President directly.
I beg to request that as the Diplomatic Body has not been willing to take up the question of the neutralization of the treaty ports, referred to in my telegram of August 3, 5 p.m., it might be advisable to suggest to the belligerents that, even though failing a complete [Page 163] exclusion of the Far East from the area of hostilities, they instruct their representatives to maintain the principle of neutrality throughout their jurisdiction in China. It is earnestly hoped that the attitude of the German Government in this matter may be made known to the Legation for communication to the Chinese Government as soon as possible.