File No. 861.00/2266
The Chargé in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 14, 2.45 p.m.]
Following undated telegram just received from Harbin, immediate repetition to the Department:
Inform Department Warner telegraphs from Horvat train [Grodekovo]:
Czechs proceeding along Amur line to broken bridge at Evgenevka. Japanese officers arrived here as mediators claiming that Vladivostok Czechs have disarmed what Red Guards who helped incite, threatened disarm all and use for Horvat. Japanese further announce they will disarm Czechs if they do not recognize Horvat and we now await General Dietrichs who proclaimed neutrality after this train not agreed on policy and Horvat deeply mixed with Japan [sic].
Your [sic] railway engineers inform special train with sleeping car containing Japanese general and 91 others left here noon to-day to meet Horvat. Leading newspapers state Horvat’s abandonment leaves no recognized or political authority with whom China can deal in railway zone. China is even bound to consider railway board remaining as having only industrial authority and that members of Horvat government can only reappear on territory of railway as private persons. Last night Pleshkov, Horvat’s general here, seized nickel [newspaper] plant Trud belonging to working-men’s party and destroyed it because of criticisms against Horvat [for] declaring Harbin under martial law.