124.93/82: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in Japan ( Caffery )99
135. Your telegrams 203, August 4, 8 p.m. and 204, August 4, 11 p.m.1
If you have not already done so on the basis of the Department’s telegram 130 July 26, 4 p.m. you may orally inform Shidehara that the Department would not be adverse from acting concurrently with the British, French and Japanese Governments in communicating to the Chinese Foreign Office an unreadiness to make the proposed change in the missions at Peking while disunion and disorder prevail in China and while the rights of foreign nationals continue to be so inadequately safeguarded as at present. Nevertheless if you are convinced, after talking with Shidehara, that he will not reconsider his unwillingness to accept the foregoing formula definitely suggested to him by the British Ambassador, the Department is disposed not to press further consideration of that specific suggestion, and you may so advise your British colleague. You may also say to him that you are informing Baron Shidehara that this Government is prepared, however, to instruct its representative at Peking to inform the Chinese Government in the sense informally suggested by Baron Shidehara as reported in your telegram 192, July 22, 5 p.m., in the event of the Japanese Government taking like action.
The Department appreciates the somewhat difficult situation in which Baron Shidehara apparently finds himself, and it would wish to adjust itself to his convenience, but the British, French and Italian Governments, as well as this Government, having definitely [Page 475] decided not to raise the status of their missions at Peking, the Department is strongly of the opinion that there should be unity of action in this matter and that the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, if he is not disposed to follow the suggestion of the British Ambassador, might now desire to proceed on the basis which he suggested to you on July 22 as described in your 192 of that date.
The French Chargé d’Affaires has inquired whether this Government would be disposed to instruct you to consult with your French and British colleagues with a view to making representations to the Japanese Government urging further postponement of the sending of a Japanese Ambassador to Peking. You may join in such consultation if proposed by your French colleague, submitting to the Department any conclusions or recommendations that may be proposed. The French Chargé dAffaires is being informed to that effect.
The Italian Government, as you have already been informed through Peking, will not change the status of its representation at Peking for reasons of economy.
Repeat to Peking as Department’s No. 182.