File No. 893.811/242
[Untitled]
Washington, January 27, 1917, 5 p.m.
In reply to inquiry by Japanese Ambassador concerning cooperation between Americans and Japanese in China I stated that American Government had no political ambitions in Far East and therefore no objection to such cooperation provided parties interested so desired but that we could not approve coercion in China.
Ambassador asked if Minister Reinsch’s suggestion of cooperation in Manchurian railways was in obedience to Departmental instruction and was told it was not; that Department would be glad to see such cooperation. It recognized that Japan had special interests in Manchuria but held situation in Shantung was different. He referred to German claim of special rights there. I said that we had not recognized them. He asked concerning American participation in loan by consortium. I replied I could not approve a contract that involved interference with sovereignty of China. His attitude was friendly.32
- Same telegram to the American Minister at Peking.↩