File No. 893.00/2607
Minister Reinsch to the Secretary of State
Peking, June 12, 1917, 8 p.m.
Japanese newspapers here and local representatives of Japanese press are diligently circulating reports to the effect that this Legation has been actively interfering in the controversy between the President and the military governors. Both by printed reports and by interviews the agents of this apparently inspired propaganda are seeking to create belief in absurd stories of our activities such as that I intrigued with the President and even paid over large amounts of money to bring about the dismissal of Tuan as Prime Minister; that I have been instrumental in arranging large secret loans to assist followers; that I acted independently and without authorization of the Department in making to the Chinese Government the communication which was in fact your telegram of June 4, 3 p.m.
It would seem that the purposes of this propaganda are to impair American influence with the Chinese and to arouse in the minds of the representatives of other Allied Governments here such distrust as would prevent the possibility of complete cooperation with us in matters of joint concern.
I beg to submit for your consideration that if such a propaganda is being carried on in Japan it might be found feasible and advisable to take steps to elicit corrections of at least the most palpable misrepresentations.