893.00/3428: Telegram
The Minister in China (Crane) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 30—8:42 a.m.]
205. About 18,000 troops from the 1st and 3d divisions of Tuan’s Frontier Defense Army and 9th and 15th divisions of the National Army have been disbanded. Four brigades of northwest frontier troops remain practically as before but mandate orders immediate disbandment.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and General Wang, commandant gendarmerie, have approached me with earnest requests that no shelter be given in the diplomatic quarter to certain Anfu leaders whose arrest has been ordered by secret Presidential mandate including five already reported to the Department. I announced the stand I took in yesterday’s diplomatic meeting, that is, that the Legation disfavored granting asylum itself or by Americans in the quarter to Chinese men but did not object to women and children. I have issued instructions to Americans in quarter accordingly. Only British and French Legations take similar stand.
Pan Fu, Acting Minister of Finance, has informally consulted me in regard to the Government’s extreme financial embarrassment for lack of funds for the present disbandment of troops.