Office of the Historian

861.77/2212

The Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs, Department of State (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State

[Washington,] August 10, 1921.

Mr. Secretary: The Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs has asked the Legation at Peking for a written statement of the ideas of the United States Government regarding the future of the Chinese Eastern Railway. (See attached telegram, 861.77/219430).

Pending a reply to our recent informal note to the Japanese Foreign Office31 presenting the amended plan for allied control of [Page 600] the Chinese Eastern Railway, it is believed such a written statement would be unwise. Apparently the Japanese have informed the Chinese of our proposal, and the Chinese feel that we are taking action regarding the Chinese Eastern Railway while keeping them in ignorance.

Instead of a written statement it is suggested that you quiet their apprehensions by pointing out to the Chinese Minister in a personal interview:

1.
That the object of the efforts of the United States regarding the Railway has been and continues to be the preservation of the Chinese and Russian rights pertaining thereto.
2.
That the United States is very much interested, not only in keeping the railway running, but also in seeing removed all obstacles to its efficient operation.
3.
That the Chinese Government need feel no apprehension that any ideas of the United States regarding the Railway will in any way be detrimental to Chinese rights. It is hoped that the Chinese Minister will reassure the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the above sense.32

MacM[urray]
  1. No. 280, Aug. 6, from the Chargé in China, p. 598.↩
  2. See telegram no. 122, Aug. 2, to the Chargé in Japan, p. 596.↩
  3. In a Department memorandum of Aug. 27, Mr. W. H. Beck, private secretary to the Secretary of State, states: “The Secretary talked with the Chinese Minister about this yesterday and informed him in substance what is set forth in Mr. MacMurray’s memorandum of August 10th. The Minister made no promise to transmit the information to Peking, but it is assumed that he will do so since he was asked to call on the Secretary.”↩