793.00/49: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Bancroft) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 30—11:20 a.m.]
116. Your telegram number 78, June 25, 6 p.m.70 I have discussed with MacMurray71 Peking’s 247, June 24, 6 p.m., and 249, June 26, 4 p.m. to the Department. We fully agree with the views set forth by Mayer in the latter telegram. We feel that the Chinese proposal should be neither rebuffed nor received in such a manner as to convey an impression that the powers are yielding under pressure, but that it should be made the occasion of evidencing to the Chinese our willingness to consider sympathetically and helpfully the modification of existing treaty [treaties?] for the upholding [of] Chinese sovereignty in measure as the Chinese authorities demonstrate their willingness and ability to fulfill their obligations and to [Page 767] assume the protection of the foreign rights and interests now safeguarded by the exceptional provisions of existing treaties.
It occurs to us only to suggest that reference to the Commission on Extraterritoriality should be so phrased as not to imply that this Commission should meet until the Special Conference72 shall have concluded its work. It may be suggested that it would be advisable for our Government, immediately upon ratification of the China treaties by the French Government, to circularize to the signatory and adhering powers the recommendation that the Extraterritoriality Commission should meet within a [specified] period after the conclusion of the work of the Special Conference.