861.77/2532
The British Ambassador (Geddes) to the Secretary of State
My Dear Mr. Secretary: In your letter of the 20th instant on the subject of the proposals for the reorganisation of the system of international control of the Chinese Eastern Railway you state that it is a matter of genuine regret to you that the view taken by the British Government, as set forth in my note No. 370 of the 14th instant, seems to disappoint the hopes of co-operation in this important phase of the situation in the Far East. I hasten to assure you that it is far from the desire of His Majesty’s Government not to co-operate with the United States Government in this as in various other questions in which the interests of the two countries are involved. You will remember that on the occasion on which you first spoke to me on this matter you explained that you wished that His Majesty’s Government would undertake to support the American [Page 586] proposals with regard to the management of the Chinese Eastern Railway, not only in principle but in detail and, as I understood you, to the point of securing their adoption in spite of any opposition that might arise.
As this was a serious proposal, I felt it to be my duty fully to explore the situation. The position of His Majesty’s Government is, as I have already indicated to your predecessor and to you, that they would welcome the introduction of this scheme if it could be brought into force, but they are inclined to believe that proposals for its adoption would encounter strong opposition. It is through no lack of sympathy for the scheme that His Majesty’s Government feels that it is impossible to assume so definite an attitude as that suggested by you. It may be that the estimate of the probable opposition is exaggerated but, in the belief that its estimate is approximately correct, His Majesty’s Government have ventured to suggest that it might be well for the United States Government to consider the advisability of sounding the various Governments concerned, especially those of China and Japan, so that the next step might be taken with full knowledge of the attitudes adopted by these Governments.
Believe me [etc.]