Office of the Historian

893.00/6507: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Minister in China (MacMurray)

Washington, August 15, 1925—1 p.m.

202. Your 329 August 14, 4 p.m. The Department approved policy stated in paragraph 7 of your telegram. It should be understood, however, that there should be no unnecessary risk of life in the protection of property and American forces should not participate in defence of Shameen at Canton unless specifically requested so to do by the naval authorities of countries concerned. Ordinarily this government’s policy would be to evacuate its citizens to a place of safety and look to Chinese Government for protection of their property, and this policy should guide American naval authorities should British or French request contemplate a different policy in regard to the property of their nationals. See Department’s No. 214 of September 8, 1924, 5 p.m.61

Above communicated to Navy.

Kellogg
  1. Foreign Relations, 1924, vol. i, p. 371.↩