File No. 861.77/604d

The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain (Davis)

[Telegram]

3663. British Chargé d’Affaires has presented a note in which he states that British War Office are most anxious that the acceptance of a counterproposal for operation of Siberian railways, including Chinese Eastern, put forward by their railway expert in Siberia, Colonel Jack, should be urged upon both the United States and Japan and adds that the British Government consider some solution must be found as the matter is of most pressing urgency.

Please inform the Minister of Foreign Affairs that this Government agrees thoroughly as to the urgency and importance of the matter and on that account would be glad to know if it is now to understand that the British Government does not favor the proposal made by the United States and approved by France and Italy. As you are aware, the British Ambassador at Tokyo, apparently owing to lack of instruction from his Government, has remained indifferent throughout the negotiations in spite of the support of this Government’s proposals previously expressed by British representatives in Siberia.

Any plan which promises effective operation will, no doubt, be better than present deplorable conditions produced by practical [Page 300] breakdown of traffic on Chinese Eastern which blocks entry of all supplies for Russians and Czechs in Siberia. This Government is not disposed however to consider an alternative to a plan which received such wide support as that which it has proposed unless it is evident that both Great Britain and Japan are unfavorable to it.

The railway negotiations between the American and Japanese Governments have resulted in an agreement on all essential points save the one question as to the measure of authority to be given the person responsible for the actual operation of the railway system. The firm conviction of Mr. Stevens as to this point is that for efficient management an undivided authority is essential and he is unwilling to risk an experiment under conditions which to him seem to make for certain failure.

This Government need surely go no further in assuring the Government of Great Britain that the question at issue, so far as the Government of the United States is concerned, is solely the one of the effective operation of the railways for Russia and without modification of previously existing rights by whomsoever held. Since the other Governments concerned are now agreed and only the one point of difference remains between the United States and Japan, this Government would like to be informed whether or not the Government of Great Britain would at this time be disposed to approve the proposals of the United States. Repeat to Paris, Rome, and Archangel for information.

Polk