861.77/3149: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in China (Schurman)
159. Referring to Harbin’s telegram July 31, 6 p.m.
You may represent to the Chinese Government that so radical and apparently unnecessary an alteration of the status quo would not only impose upon the Chinese Government the burden of justifying [Page 779] such action by it as trustee (as recognized by Washington Conference Resolution No. 13),83 but under present circumstances would appear most inopportune as tending to create in the minds of the treaty Powers a doubt as to China’s intentions with regard to the observance of its express obligations to foreign interests.
It is also suggested that joint representations in this sense might be made to the Chinese Government by the Powers participating in the Washington Conference.