861a.01/89: Telegram
The Minister in China (Schurman) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 4—4:40 a.m.]
343. My 340, October 1, via Tokyo.53 Much more importance is attached by intelligent public opinion here, American included, to the Far Eastern Republic as a factor in the problems of the Far East than by public opinion in the United States. Such opinion here holds that not receiving a mission for strictly commercial purposes nor giving an invitation to the Washington Conference has a tendency to throw the Far Eastern Republic into the arms of the Japanese. It was stated to me last Friday by Yourin himself that American action to help his people might be taken too late. I learn [Page 748] from other sources that there is a danger of the Far Eastern Republic reaching an agreement with Japan before the Washington Conference convenes. This would be done by the cession of Northern Sakhalin to the Japanese. Probably no such cession would be made if the United States could admit a commercial mission.
- Not printed.↩