793.94/1226a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in China ( Schurman )
303. Following an exchange of views between us, Mr. Balfour20 and I together consulted separately with Admiral Baron Kato of the Japanese Delegation and with the Chinese Minister, explaining to each that while we were neither of us opposed to the Shantung question being brought before the Conference we were in complete accord in feeling very strongly that the presentation of this question to the Conference by China would almost inevitably evoke from Japan such a statement as would not only prevent the consideration of the matter by the Conference but gravely impair all hopes of an amicable solution of the question. We therefore urged that it [Page 935] would be most desirable if the representatives of China and of Japan were to resume here the discussion of the question; and we suggested that to that end both Mr. Balfour and myself would be prepared to use our good offices in any way that might be acceptable to the two parties in order to assist towards a just and permanent resolution of the question.
In response to a question from the Chinese Minister we also suggested that it would seem entirely appropriate and desirable that any solution arrived at between the two parties should be communicated to and duly noted by the Conference.
You will please take the earliest possible occasion to impress upon the Minister for Foreign Affairs with the utmost earnestness that as disinterested observers regarding with impartial friendliness the interests of both China and Japan and concerned only in the sense of desiring heartily to assist towards the attainment of an equitable and durable understanding on this subject, Mr. Balfour and I alike feel that the only practicable way to obtain that result is by a renewal of the recent discussions between the Chinese and Japanese Governments which appear to have been discontinued at a moment when the substantial points of difference seemed in fact to have been narrowed to a small margin; and that failure to proceed further along these lines could not but have a most unhappy effect in making difficult or even impossible a resolution of the situation which has come to exist with respect to the Shantung question. It is hoped that the Chinese Government will perceive the wisdom of authorizing further discussions of this subject collaterally to the Conference.
I am communicating to the Chinese Minister a paraphrase of the present instruction.
[Paraphrase.] You are informed in strict confidence that the British Foreign Office has been requested by Balfour to give instructions to the British Minister in China similar to those you are receiving in this telegram. [End paraphrase.]
- Arthur J. Balfour, member of the British delegation at the Conference on the Limitation of Armament.↩