File No. 763.72/3483
The Secretary of State to the Minister in China ( Reinsch)
Your cipher telegram of March 12, 1 p.m. The Department can only repeat the statements made in its telegram of March 12, 3 p.m., but, while unable to give the assurances asked, the Department [Page 420] desires you to say to the Chinese Government that the American Government has learned with appreciation that China will support the United States in breaking off diplomatic relations with Germany and trusts that the assurance given you that no commitment as to further action has been made indicates an intention to await the movement of this Government. You may say too that it is reported in the United States from unofficial sources that there is intriguing in China for the division of that country between a republic in the south and a monarchy in the north, and that this Government strongly deprecates a revival at this time of monarchical schemes or the promotion of any movement tending to promote discord in China or loss of territory by the Republic. For your guidance it is important to bear in mind that the American Government is disposed to regard as inadvisable a declaration of war by China upon Germany at this time, if such declaration would mean the control of China’s military resources by a foreign power.