File No. 763.72/354
The Chargé d’Affaires in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State
Peking, August 13, 1914, 1 p.m.
[Received August 12, 9 p.m.]
[Telegram—Extract]
From Chinese sources. . . I learn that advices of this Government confirm the belief that Japan is seeking the opportunity to cooperate with Great Britain against Tsingtao as reported in my telegram of August 11, 5 p.m.; that, apparently with a view to making available a pretext for further independent action, the Japanese in Manchuria have been creating daily provocative incidents; and that their Legation here (refusing to accept the explanation that the Chinese Minister at Washington had acted on his own responsibility in presenting a memorandum to the Department in advance of the proposed simultaneous overtures to American and Japanese Governments) has informed the Foreign Office his Government regards it as an unfriendly act that the Chinese Government so far disregarded the friendly disposition of Japan as to seek in the first instance good offices of the United States in the attempt to exclude the area of hostilities from the Far East.
In consequence of what they term intolerable attitude of Japan the President and his advisers are reported to be convinced that it is the intention of that Government on the basis of some fictitious grievance to occupy South Manchuria and Fukien as well as Kiaochow. . . .