893.053 Sh/24: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in China (Schurman)
69. Your 89, March 22, 11 a.m. The Department regrets that the proposal to resume negotiations for the rendition of the Mixed Court seems to demand consideration at the present time by the Diplomatic Body and not to permit such further postponement as would enable a thorough survey of the Court’s status to be made by the Extraterritoriality Commission, since such a survey would appear to form an important part of the work of that Commission. The Department, [Page 528] however, recognizes the force of your argument that this Government could not well take an isolated position in opposing the rendition of the Court even for a temporary period; and, in view of your statement that this matter would not be associated in the public mind with the surrender of extraterritoriality, you are authorized to join with your colleagues in negotiations looking toward rendition as outlined in your 75, March 11, 10 a.m., subject to the understanding that such negotiations are to be strictly limited to the question of the rendition of the Court, and that this Government is not prepared to make rendition conditional upon obtaining from the Chinese Government any benefits or concessions upon extraneous subjects such as the extension of the International Settlement or the development of the Shanghai Harbor even if such subjects appear to have a certain relation to the rendition of the Court in connection with a general adjustment of present Sino-foreign problems at Shanghai.