893.102 Ic/4: Telegram
The Chargé in China (Ruddock) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 5—3:45 p.m.]
247. Your 184, June 29th, 5 p.m. At diplomatic corps meeting today all members except myself voted to make representations to Chinese Government along lines my 230, June 24th, 4 p.m., as absolutely essential to safety of foreigners in Yangtze Valley. Corps strongly urge American Government join in representations and asks reply within three days. Department, I am sure, realizes that at no time in modern history, not even including Boxer days, has Chinese Government authority been at so low an ebb and foreign interests so harassed. Disorders are rampant in every quarter of the country, Central Government is virtually powerless. China seems inevitably faced with long period of domestic chaos. It seems hard to believe foreigners could maintain establishments and without protection of existing settlements. For instance on the occasion of Wuchang mutiny June 8th when foreign concessions alone saved foreign interests in Hankow. By the same token and in accordance with treaty provisions foreigners strictly have right to foreign-settlement area at Ichang without further infringing Chinese sovereignty especially as Chinese participation would be invited. Legation strongly believes that removal of threatening troops from specified ports and cooperation of foreign and Chinese commercial interests in the maintenance of model settlements would afford useful encouragement to Chinese people downtrodden by militarists.