861.77/910
The Ambassador in Japan (Morris) to the Acting Secretary of
State
[Extract]
Tokyo, May 27,
1919.
[Received June
27.]
No. 415
Sir: I have the honor to report that since
my return from Vladivostok in the early part of March, last, Mr.
Stevens and Mr.
[Page 607]
Smith have
kept me fully informed by telegrams and reports of the progress made
in the execution of the plan for the supervision of the Chinese
Eastern and trans-Siberian Railways. Any facts reported which seemed
to me of importance I have transmitted to the Department by cable. I
am also aware that both Mr. Stevens and Mr. Smith have, as
requested, communicated directly with the Department. It is not
necessary therefore to attempt any detailed review of the progress
made. It is my purpose in this despatch merely to supplement
previous information and enclose a few selected documents taken from
the Embassy files which I hope will throw additional light on the
situation. I devoted the last few days of my stay in Vladivostok in
an effort to find a ground of agreement between Mr. Stevens and Mr.
Nagao in regard to the distribution of Japanese railway experts. Mr.
Stevens’ view was that in the interest of efficient management the
fewer Japanese experts he employed, the better. Mr. Nagao, on the
other hand, was greatly embarrassed by the pressure of the Japanese
military authorities who were persistent in their demands that he
should stand firm for full control of the operation of the entire
Chinese Eastern system as well as the Ussuri and Amur Railways. Mr.
Nagao was not in entire sympathy with the position of his own
military authorities because as a technical railway man he realized
that the American engineers were far more experienced in “long haul”
problems than any of the men under his direction. He was fearful
however that if he conceded too much he could not face the
antagonism of the military group or the resentment of the Japanese
public. After many extended discussions I reached a general
understanding with Mr. Nagao which met the approval of Mr. Stevens.
It was agreed that matters of detail should be worked out between
them without any further interference from me so I left Vladivostok
on the day arranged for their final interview. The result of this
interview is reported in Mr. Nagao’s letter and enclosure to me of
March 11th which is attached herewith and marked “Exhibit No. 1”. I
confess I was surprised to find in Mr. Nagao’s memorandum a
reference to the possibility of changing the gauge of the line
between Changchun and Harbin. This was never mentioned in our
discussions. Mr. Stevens, however, seems to have fully protected his
approval of this suggestion by the proviso which he added. …
. . . . . . .
I have [etc.]
[Page 608]
[Enclosure]
The Director of the Japanese Imperial
Government Railways (Nagao) to the American Ambassador (Morris)
Vladivostok, March 11, 1919.
Dear Sir: I have to express here my
sincere appreciation of Your Excellency’s kind efforts in
connection with the Allied control of the Trans-Siberian Railway
and the Chinese Eastern Railway, the efforts to which my
country, as well as myself personally, are greatly indebted. I
presume you will have safely arrived at Tokyo when this reaches
to your hand. On the day you left here I had the pleasure of
meeting Mr. Stevens and discussed on the subject of the railway
control, the interview lasting fully for one and [one-] half
hours. I am glad to be able to report to you that the result of
the meeting was thoroughly satisfactory to both of us, a
complete understanding having been obtained between the two.
My topics of conversation with Mr. Stevens covered the control by
Japan of the Southern Branch of the Chinese Eastern Line and a
portion of the line between Nikolsk and Habarovsk of the Ussurie
Railway under the direct supervision of the President of the
Technical Board. Placing of Japanese Inspectors along with
American Inspectors appointed by the President has also been
agreed to by Mr. Stevens. It was further agreed by Mr. Stevens
that in order to utilize cars and engines, the former numbering
some 800 and the latter more than twenty, in the Southern Branch
line, Japan may take steps to standardize the gauge of the line
under her control, provided the Russian Government consents to
that. This involves a delicate diplomacy, and we have to be
extremely cautious in bringing the matter up. As to leaving the
control to the hand of the Japanese, Mr. Stevens also agreed to
do it in near future when he comes to be satisfied with the
Japanese handling of the traffic according to American Dispatch
System.
In conclusion I wish to say that it is my earnest desire to have
you continue your kind efforts in the future as in the past
directly and indirectly to the end that our common endeavors
will be successful in saving from collapse one of the world’s
greatest highways, a path from the Orient to the center of the
European civilization, and at the same time promoting the
interest of the Allied Powers, particularly of the Russian
people, a realization of the spirit of international cooperation
aimed at by the League of Nations formulated by your worthy
President Wilson at Versailles.
Wishing [etc.]
[Page 609]
[Subenclosure]
Memorandum of the Director of the Japanese
Imperial Government Railways (Nagao)
Mr. Nagao agrees with the plan submitted by Mr. Stevens, except
that portion bearing to the control of the section between
Changchun and Harbin in the Chinese Eastern and the Ussurie
Lines, which will be controlled by the Japanese directly under
the supervision of the President of the Technical Board.
Mr. Stevens agrees to Japan’s controlling the section between
Changchun and Harbin and Nikolsk-Ussuriski and Habarovsk,
provided trains between Nikolsk and Vladivostok be handled by
American despatchers in accordance with Japanese requests; and
to have a Japanese office installed in the Vladivostok Station
Building to handle the terminus station business in connection
with the Ussurie Line.
Mr. Nagao agrees to Mr. Stevens’ suggestions to have Japanese
inspectors placed by the side of American inspectors in the
Chinese Eastern Districts and Divisions east of Harbin in order
to have them assist and cooperate with the latter, provided no
other nationality be mixed for the sake of conveniences.
Mr. Nagao has no objection to placing Chinese experts by the side
of American Division Inspectors to assist and cooperate with the
latter in the portion of the line west of Harbin in the Chinese
Eastern Line.
Mr. Stevens has no objection, if Japan wishes to control the
whole of the Amour Line which is being guarded by the Japanese
Military forces, such controlling to be done directly under the
supervision of the President of the Technical Board.
Mr. Stevens has no objection to Japan’s standardizing the gauge
between Changchun and Harbin (provided the Russian authorities
have no objection to [it]) in order to be able to utilize the
cars and engines in other parts of the Chinese Eastern Line and
Ussurie or Amour Line.
Mr. Stevens will leave the control of the Chinese Eastern Line,
including the Ussurie Line, under the supervision of the
President, to the hand of the Japanese, in case he should come
in near future to be satisfied with Japanese handling by
Dispatching System.
Mr. Stevens agrees to adopting what Japan thinks the best fitted
for the lines under Japanese control in place of American
dispatch system.
