File No. 793.94/357.
Minister Reinsch to the Secretary of State.
Peking, May 14, 1915—4 p.m.
In communicating to the Minister for Foreign Affairs yesterday afternoon the note incorporated in your telegram May 11, 5 p.m., which he received with the statement that it had been his earnest endeavor to secure observance of the treaty rights, I took occasion to suggest that the definitive treaty which is to embody the results of the negotiations should contain an article expressly stipulating that none of its provisions should be so construed as to impair the political or territorial integrity of China or the principle of equality of commercial opportunity.
Inasmuch as the explanatory memorandum accompanying the Japanese ultimatum of the 7th instant contained a suggestion that a secret agreement should be concluded in regard to the approval by the Japanese authorities of all Chinese tax and police regulations affecting residence of Japanese subjects in Manchuria, I intimated to the Minister for Foreign Affairs that as under the most-favored-nation principle the United States would be entitled to claim similar treatment it would expect to be advised of the terms of any such arrangement. I beg to request authorization to supplement yesterday’s note by a further communication formally requesting to be advised of any arrangement which may result from the present negotiations with Japan by which the Chinese Government may imply any change in the status and rights of foreigners resident in China, in order that the Government of the United States may be in a position to determine and to claim for its citizens all rights thus accruing to them under the principle of most-favored-nation treatment.