893.77/1857: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in China (Crane)
325. Your 309, October 10th, noon.
Following from American International Corporation:
“Corporation believes everything possible under circumstances has been done by it; more perhaps than by any other engaged on work in China of a similar magnitude, and that Carey not only made no promise to begin work within a ten months’ period, but declined to accept any time limitation. The Minister of Communications must know, despite his insistence, how impossible the financial conditions of the world and of the United States and political conditions and unrest in China make it to fix a date for resuming operations. The Company regrets, as China does, that general conditions have been and continue adverse, but points to the survey results as a material accomplishment which, by making it possible to select the best line, will save many times what the surveys cost. The company deeply regrets the famine now afflicting China but is convinced immediate construction of Paoking Line is made impossible by the factors mentioned above. It believes it unwise, despite the necessities of the moment, to do any work piece-meal and not in accord with the larger plans.”
You may orally communicate the substance of the above to the Ministry of Communications and, in your discretion, renew oral representations in the sense of the Department’s 259, October 2, 4 p.m.