893.74/594: Telegram
The Minister in China ( MacMurray ) to the Secretary of State
Peking
,
August 14,
1925—10 p.m.
[Received August 14—7:35 p.m.]
[Received August 14—7:35 p.m.]
330. Your telegram 194, August 7, 3 p.m., and my No. 321, August 10, 3 p.m.22
- 1.
- On the 13th instant I called on the Minister for Foreign Affairs to ask for an appointment to discuss with the Chief Executive the Federal wireless question. He urged that the matter be left to the instructions of ministerial committee to which it has been referred for the purpose of finding some way to remove the obstacles placed by Japanese interests in the way of the Chinese Government’s giving effect to the American contract. Being convinced that this is a merely dilatory procedure since after several weeks the committee has not taken up the proposal, I insisted that I saw no purpose which the committee would serve unless it were to remove Japanese opposition by devising terms under which third parties might permit the Chinese Government to carry out its obligations to our nationals. I then read him the substance of the statement to the Chinese Minister quoted in your telegram August 7, 3 p.m. [August 6, 4 p.m.?]
- 2.
- I recalled the notes exchanged between the Secretary of State and the Chinese Minister in June-July, 1921,23 by which we pledged ourselves and considered the Chinese Government likewise pledged to cooperation in this matter as a practical application and test of the open-door principle; and I pointed out that for four years we had loyally stood by this understanding whereas the Chinese Government was still wavering in the face of opposition. I said my Government attached the utmost importance to this matter because of the principle involved and because it constituted a test of the disposition of the Chinese Government not only towards its obligation to our nationals but also towards the policy of the open door which it had agreed with us to uphold: the time had come when we felt entitled to know where the Chinese Government stands; would it or would it not live up to its obligations and cooperate loyally with us in maintaining the open door. This was a moment when we must be taking stock of our own position and of the actualities of the situation in China, and we should be in a position to know definitely whether or not the Chinese Government is faithful to its cooperation with us in giving practical effect to the open door; a failure to proceed with respect to the contract would now create a doubt.
- 3.
- The Minister for Foreign Affairs protested that there was no matter of principle involved but only a practical question of finding a way around the obstacle interposed by the Japanese; and he at first said he saw no necessity for my seeing the Chief Executive.
- 4.
- I told him that we could not accept that view and that it was in order to make clear to the Chief Executive our conviction as to the political importance of the matter that I asked for an interview. The Minister with manifest displeasure consented to arrange for it to take place in about a week.
- 5.
- I am hopeful that this interview may have made some impression upon the Minister for Foreign Affairs who has hitherto been wholly indifferent to the matter.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MacMurray
- Neither printed.↩
- Note from the Chinese Minister of June 9, 1921, and reply of July 1, 1921, Foreign Relations, 1921, vol. i, pp. 438 and 439.↩