861.00/6200
The Department of State to the Japanese Embassy
Memorandum
The Government of the United States has received the memorandum, under date of the 22nd instant, in which the Japanese Embassy in behalf of the Imperial Japanese Government took note of the memorandum by which this Government communicated its decision to proceed to the withdrawal of American troops from Siberia and to recall the American railway experts now assisting in the operation of the Siberian and of the Chinese Eastern Railways.
The Government of the United States has in particular noted that paragraph of the memorandum, in which the Imperial Japanese Government expresses its gratification at the intimation, conveyed by the Secretary of State to the Japanese Ambassador, that the American Government would have no objection to the decision which might be reached on the part of Japan to continue single-handed the stationing of her troops in Siberia, or, to send a reinforcement in case of need, or to carry on the assistance in the operation of the Trans-Siberian and the Chinese Eastern Railways.
This Government is happy to take occasion to confirm the intimation thus given by the Secretary of State, that it has no desire to oppose any obstacle to such measures as the Japanese Government may find necessary to the achievement of the announced purposes which induced the cooperation of the American and Japanese Governments in Siberia. In giving this confirmation of the intimation thus conveyed by the Secretary of State in connection with this Government’s withdrawal from further active participation in the measures of military and technical assistance which it has been sought to render to the Russian people, the Government of the United States desires to record an assurance of its confidence that the Imperial Japanese Government will, in the exercise of the trust devolving upon it, pursue the same policy that was mutually agreed upon when the two Governments determined to cooperate in Siberia,—particularly in connection with the operation of the Siberian Railway system (including therein the Chinese Eastern Railway), the existing rights to which, it is confidently assumed, will in no way be impaired in consequence of the efforts of the Japanese [Page 502] Government to carry out the purposes which induced the two Governments to send their military forces to Siberia.
The present memorandum is being communicated to the British, French and Italian Governments.