Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Address of the President to Congress December 4, 1917

File No. 893.811/239

The Secretary of State to Minister Reinsch

[Telegram]

Department of State,
Washington , January 13, 1917, 2 p.m .

Your telegram of January 11, 6 p.m. Department considers canal cooperation inadvisable but the matter is one between bankers not between Governments of United States and Japan. Department desires that question be left entirely to China to decide and that Legation express no opinion for or against either officially or unofficially.

Corporation again today declares it does not desire to enter into any arrangement unless acceptable to China but believes proposed cooperation advantageous to China.

Lansing