893.00/3034
The Consul General at Shanghai (Sammons) to the Minister in China (Reinsch)35
Sir: With reference to the despatch (No. 2785)36 of this Consulate-General, of yesterday, I now have the honor to append the text of the communication addressed by the Chief of the Northern peace delegation to the Chief of the Southern peace delegation, regarding the resumption of the peace negotiations between the North and the South—
1 Hankow Road,
Shanghai, March 6, 1919.
Mr. Tang Shao-yi,
Chief Southern
Delegate.
Dear Sir: I beg respectfully to call your attention to the following in regard to the Shensi question.
The five articles relating to the armistice, agreed upon by General Li Shun and the Military Government at Canton37 as a solution of the Shensi difficulty, were telegraphed to Shensi by the Central Government on the 13th of February. In connexion with their enforcement, I repeatedly declared to you my feeling of responsibility, for which my colleagues and I later tendered to the Government our resignation and also urged the Government by telegraph to issue strict orders to have the armistice enforced. In response to my request, the Cabinet and the Ministry of War issued instructions to the Tuchun of Shensi which he duly acknowledged and promised to carry out, regarding which copies of the telegrams have been sent to you for perusal.
In addition to the above, permit me to add that the President issued a mandate in regard to the armistice on the 4th instant, which doubtless you have read, it having been published in the Government Gazette. On the 5th the Cabinet and the Ministry of War issued a military order which runs as follows:
“Concerning the cessation of hostilities and the demarcation of boundary in Shensi, instructions were telegraphed to you on the 13th of February. [Page 315] Yesterday the President issued a mandate ordering that the cessation of hostilities and the demarcation of boundary should be carried out strictly in accordance with the terms of the armistice, and that steps for the suppression of the bandits within the respective jurisdictions should be postponed until Mr. Chang Jui-chi has arrived and completed the demarcation. In view of the peace negotiations which are now proceeding and in which the world is keenly interested, it is essential that the armistice should be strictly and rigidly enforced so that an end may be put to all troubles. It is hoped that you will immediately issue strict instructions to the troops at the front to remain at their posts and not to reopen hostilities upon slight provocations.”
This order to the troops in Shensi shows that fighting against the Pacification (or Constitutionalist) forces has ceased, but also prior to the demarcation of boundary, the suppression of bandits will be suspended so as to avoid further misunderstanding. Also may I point out that in the strict orders which have been issued in connexion with the military operations in Shensi and in the readiness with which those orders are obeyed, the earnest desire of the Government and the Shensi authorities for peace is clearly demonstrated. In view of these facts I request that the Conference be resumed immediately so that the discussion of more important questions may be taken up at an early date, that the peace of the country may be speedily consummated and the expectations of the people gratified.
Awaiting your kind reply, I have the honour to remain,
Your obedient servant,
(Signed) Chu Chi-chien
Peking, March 6,
1919.
Chief Delegates Tang and Chu and
Mr. Li
Loung-mun.
A telegram has been received from Yu Yi (Government delegate to Shensi), stating that fighting in Shensi has stopped and that Yu Yu-jen and Chen Shu-fang are exchanging courtesies and views. It seems the President’s mandate is already bearing fruit.
Chang Jui-chi
I have the honor to report, further, that Mr. Tong Shao-yi has sent me a note stating that he is suffering from influenza, and will necessarily be confined to his house for several days.
I am advised this afternoon that the Chief of the Northern delegation to the internal peace conference has telegraphed to the Shensi Demarcation Commissioner, now at Peking, urging him to proceed to Shensi without delay, now that hostilities have ceased.
Chief delegate Chu has also telegraphed to the Military Governor of Shensi, requesting full particulars regarding the cessation of hostilities. A similar telegram has been sent by Mr. Chu to the Southern military commander in Shensi, attention being called to the fact that the newspapers here report that hostilities are still in progress and that the Northern troops are firing on the Southern soldiers, etc., etc.
I have [etc.]