393.1123 Lincheng/237: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in China (Schurman)
211. Your 325 September 28, 10 a.m., and 328 October 2, 1 p.m.
The following is the substance of an interview which I had with the Chinese Minister on October 2, in connection with the reply of the Chinese Government on the Lincheng case.
Minister Sze stated that Koo had expressed his appreciation of the Secretary’s friendship for China and had hoped that he (the [Page 703] Secretary) would approve the Chinese Government’s reply. Sze referred to Koo’s difficult position, and especially to the demand for consequential and indirect damages by way of supplemental indemnities, asserting that he did not think such claims should be pressed, citing such claims in connection with the Boxer uprising. The Secretary said that he was most desirous of aiding the Chinese people in every proper way and that the belief that such outrages as that of Lincheng could be perpetrated with impunity should not be encouraged and that when the Chinese talk of the integrity and sovereignty of China they should maintain a Government capable of discharging its international obligations. The Secretary said that he did not care to discuss the demands but that, while appreciating Koo’s difficulties, he did not consider the demands inappropriate; that he understood an answer was under consideration by the diplomatic body and that he believed the demands would remain unchanged. The Secretary referred to that part of the diplomatic body’s note relating to supplemental indemnities and said that these claims were not indirect or consequential damages but were direct losses such as could be recovered in any court and that these were individual claims which would be advanced by the respective governments for the nationals concerned.
Minister Sze expressed the hope that the Secretary would recognize that the Chinese Government did not wish to arouse anti-foreign sentiment and that public opinion in China was an important factor. The Secretary replied that he understood the situation but that it was important that the Chinese people should understand that the lives and liberty of foreigners must be protected and that a government adequate for that purpose should be maintained.
Minister Sze referred to the demands having been made upon the basis of the Boxer protocol and pointed out that Koo could not concede this point. The Secretary replied that he did not agree with Koo and that he thought that such cases would fall quite clearly within the terms of the Treaty since it was exactly that sort of thing that the Treaty was maintained to cover. Minister Sze expressed the hope that the Secretary would reconsider and not reach a final conclusion pending further information from Peking. The Secretary said again that he understood the seriousness of the matter and would give it full consideration but that Sze must not suppose that what the Secretary had said was said without due deliberation and that Koo should not be given the idea that there was any probability that the views that had been expressed would be altered.