File No. 893.77/1600
Minister Reinsch to the Secretary of State
Peking, April 13, 1917, 8 p.m.
On account of recent local controversies with the Chinese aggravating the intractable temper of the French Minister it seems unwise to take up with him Kwangsi question as proposed in my telegram of April 3, 6 p.m., and approved in your telegram April 7, 5 p.m., lest he should assume an attitude of antagonism which would prejudice any more favorable intentions on the part of the French Government. I have therefore advised him that the questions raised by his claim of priority in respect to railway construction in Kwangsi have been referred to you for consideration and I venture to suggest that the present moment appears peculiarly favorable not only for obtaining a fair arrangement in Kwangsi but also for taking up in Paris and other capitals of the Entente Powers a suggestion that their relations with and in respect to China would be placed upon a more satisfactory basis by a renewal of the adherence to the principle of equality of opportunity and by a specific disavowal of all claims to general rights of priority or of exclusive interest in any region of China as distinguished from specific rights in particular undertakings. It will prove [would seem?] that the present conjuncture of affairs would predispose at any rate the British, French and Russian Governments to give more favorable consideration than heretofore to such a declaration which would constitute a valuable reassurance to both the United States and China.