124.93/68: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in Japan (Caffery)
126. Your telegram No. 186, July 16, 6 p.m. The Department has felt somewhat disturbed by the apparent feeling on the part of Baron Shidehara that this Government has ignored his views in the matter of raising the status of Legations in China. There was certainly no such intention, however, and I cannot but feel that that impression on his part and the somewhat difficult situation out of which it arises result from causes over which this Government had no control.
From the time when it was first suggested, over a month ago, this Government has considered that the Chinese proposal was particularly [Page 471] inopportune at a time when the authority of the Peking Government and its ability to live up to its responsibilities to foreign interests have so far diminished. Before rejecting the Chinese proposal, however, the Department took occasion to ascertain whether the Governments of Japan, France and Great Britain entertained contrary views. The inquiries then made indicated that France and Great Britain were actively opposed to the project, and that Japan (as reported in your telegram No. 155, June 17, 8 p.m.) had no predilection for the Chinese proposal (which would in fact involve practical difficulties), although the Foreign Office was prepared to advise you in the event of any alteration in what appeared to be a negative attitude on its part. The Department therefore had no anticipation of the proposal communicated to you on July 11 (your telegram No. 184, July 11, 9 p.m.), and had in the meanwhile felt that it was acting with due consideration for the views of other interested Powers when, on July 10, it had advised the Chinese Chargé d’Affaires, in the same informal manner in which the proposal had been suggested four weeks earlier by the Chinese Minister, that it saw no occasion for any change in the status of its diplomatic representation in China.
It is very much to be regretted if the Department’s refusal of the Chinese proposal occurred so shortly before the Japanese Government’s suggestion of a contrary course of action as to give rise to a question of the possibility of our having acted in disregard of Japan’s suggestion.
You may explain the matter fully and frankly to Baron Shidehara.