File No. 861.77/479
The Secretary of State to the Consul at Vladivostok (Caldwell)
For Morris:
Your September 19, 10.10 a.m. [18, 10 p.m.?]; your September 20, 6 p.m.; Spencer’s September 18, 10 p.m., repeated to you from Tokyo; Department’s [your] September 3, midnight, et seq.1
While the Japanese Government seems to have made formal objection in writing to the proposal for Stevens to control the railroad, same having been delivered in Tokyo and conveyed in Spencer’s September 18, 10 p.m., it now appears from your September 19, 8 p.m. [18, 10 p.m.?], and September 20, 6 p.m., both from Vladivostok, that the Japanese Government is willing for Stevens to undertake the effective operation of the Chinese Eastern and Trans-Siberian Railroads under military protection.
You are authorized to express this Government’s entire approval with the general modification that Stevens undertake operation of the whole system under the military protection of the military authorities in control in the different localities through which the railroad passes.
The French Government, the Russian Ambassador here who pays salaries and expenses of corps, the Russian Minister at Peking and Dr. Masaryk for the Czecho-Slovaks, have each accepted the plan suggested by this Government and expressed agreement. The Chinese Government is favorably inclined. The matter is being taken up with the British again. If Japanese have agreed there would seem to be no reason why plan can not immediately be put into effect. You will please advise Department of developments.
Advise Peking of pertinent parts of above.