893.74/604: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in China (MacMurray)
231. Your 374, September 2, 6 p.m. Chinese Minister called on Secretary on September 1 and stated that he had received a message from his Government outlining proposal reported in your 360, August 29, 4 p.m. He stated that he had also been told that his Government had received a communication from you which it interpreted as meaning that the American Government would govern its interest in the forthcoming Special Conference on October 26, by the attitude which the Chinese Government would adopt toward the Federal Wireless contract. In the presence of the Chief of the Far Eastern Division the Secretary of State informed the Chinese Minister that the Chinese Government could hardly expect the American Government to take an active interest in the policy of the open door in China if the Chinese Government itself was not interested in that policy. The Chief of the Far Eastern Division in a subsequent conversation with the Chinese Minister on the same day under instructions from the Secretary, informed the Chinese Minister that he should not leave his Government in any doubt that you had the Secretary’s full support in the attitude which you have taken with regard to the Federal Wireless contract. As regards proposal mentioned in your 360, he informed the Chinese Minister that the communication to the Chinese Foreign Office mentioned in paragraph 4 was approved by the Department. The Chief of the Far Eastern Division saw the Chinese Minister again on the afternoon of September 2 and again stated to him that he must not leave his Government in any doubt in this matter and that the communications which you have addressed to the Chinese Government require a definite reply. The Minister stated that he reported by telegraph to his Government on September 1 that the Secretary had informed him that he was very much disappointed with the attitude adopted by the Chinese Government particularly as China’s action had a direct bearing upon the policy of the open door, as it indicated that China was failing to support this policy at the very time that it was appealing to the world for a release from conventional tariffs and the extraterritorial provisions of the treaties. As regards proposal, he stated that he had informed his Government that you had addressed a communication to the Chinese Foreign Office on August 29 which was supported by the Secretary of State.