893.5045/90: Telegram
The Chargé in China ( Mayer ) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 15—11:27 a.m.]
228. My 217, June 12, 6 p.m.48
- 1.
- Continued demonstrations in Peking and other agitation regarding Shanghai incident especially distribution of pamphlets and pictures calculated to incite extreme antiforeign feeling. Heads of Legation through senior minister have sought ineffectually past few days to cause Chinese Government either to put a stop to the above or make necessary arrangement to prevent demonstrations from coming into direct contact with Legation Quarter as has twice occurred when effort made by bodies of students to rush gates of Quarter. Chinese Government acknowledges unable to prevent contact between Legation guards and demonstrators.
- 2.
- Senior minister at meeting of Heads of Legation yesterday afternoon stated he was informed on most reliable authority that group of extremists would attack Foreign Office on 15th, establish people’s commissar for foreign affairs, and incite mob to assault Legation Quarter. Japanese Minister had same information and chief of police also. General sense of meeting that Soviet and Communist activities in Peking greatly increased to the end that some incident involving foreigners should take place and that Feng Yu-hsiang’s troops now in Peking not to be relied on in the circumstances.
- 3.
- [Paraphrase.] Chang Tso-lin caused a message to be sent to the senior minister confidentially and privately that if desired he would send 10,000 soldiers to Peking to obtain order. This message the senior minister placed for action before the Heads of Legation. Most diplomatic representatives believed that a grave and menacing situation confronted foreigners in the capital because of Communistic activities, the paralysis of the government of Tuan Chi-jui, the reaction to the riots at Hankow and Kiukiang and the general condition of disturbance throughout China. With this situation in view they believed it imperative that the Heads of Legation, in reply to Chang Tso-lin, welcome any aid in maintaining law and order here.
- 4.
- I was most emphatic in stating that under no circumstances did the American Government wish to take sides in conflicts between Chinese factions; that I thought our neutrality might be seriously compromised by the step which the Heads of Legation proposed; that it was my opinion that Chang would of necessity be forced to assume control in Peking with or without an expressed welcome [Page 730] from the Heads of Legation concerned if the Communistic menace was as great as my colleagues believed; and that I would not be surprised, in view of my previous experience with him, if Chang were trying again to use the Communistic menace to secure some form of support from the powers for himself. The British Chargé expressed himself categorically in a similar sense. The Italian Minister assured me that he had information entirely independent of that from Chang Tso-lin as to the Communistic menace to foreign lives and property. It was stated by all Heads of Legation that they had no wish to take sides in disputes between factions. They felt, however, that foreign lives and property were in great danger not only in Peking but throughout China and that we must take advantage of all possible assistance both to protect ourselves and to prevent any untoward incident between Chinese and foreigners which would precipitate an antiforeign outburst.
- 5.
- My British colleague and I decided after long argument and
discussion that we could not assume the responsibility of preventing
action desired by the other Heads of Legation. We caused a formula
to be adopted, however, for such action by which I believe our
neutrality will not be compromised. The Italian Minister was
authorized to make confidentially and orally a statement to the
representative of Chang Tso-lin, a translation of which follows.
[End paraphrase.]
“The interested Heads of Legation have taken cognizance of the considerations which Marshal Chang Tso-lin has conveyed to them concerning the necessity for the reestablishment of order in Peking in order to prevent further difficulties and the development of a situation which threatens to become dangerous. They have the honor to make known to him that, preoccupied above all with the question of assuring the safety of their nationals, [they?] shall welcome with satisfaction any support which would be given to the Government for the maintenance of order and for taking appropriate measures to the end that the present agitation may cease.”
- 6.
- While the British Chargé d’Affaires and myself do not completely share the apprehension of our colleagues as expressed above I view the situation with a certain alarm because of the undoubted intense Soviet activities for the purpose of stirring up trouble in all quarter[s], and by reason of the entire paralysis of the present Government in Peking. I am in constant communication with commandant of Legation guard concerning the protection of our nationals in Peking in any eventuality and shall take requisite steps to that end.
- 7.
- Respectfully request Department’s views in the premises.