Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1926, Volume I

893.00/7222: Telegram

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

[Paraphrase]

Peking, March 23, 1926—7 p.m.
[Received March 23—5:33 p.m.]

146. My telegram No. 143, March 22, 7 p.m.

1. According to reliable authority General Lu Chung-lin, who for some time has commanded both the police and the Kuominchun precautionary troops guarding Peking, had a heated conversation last night with the Prime Minister and the Chief Executive in which he declared that none of his command would take any action against agitations by students or other demonstrators and finally demanded the disarming of the Chief Executive’s bodyguard of 4,600 men. Although this demand was refused, the Prime Minister immediately afterwards took refuge in the Legation Quarter.

2. This morning the Vice Minister, who is in charge of the Foreign Office, approached the Senior Minister with the statement that serious fear was felt by the authorities for the safety of Peking. They are uncertain whether the Kuominchun forces will remain in Peking but are afraid that they will evacuate without notice, thus leaving the city to be protected by the bodyguard of the Chief Executive and the police force which is believed to have been demoralized very seriously by changes which General Lu has made in the personnel and by lack of pay for a number of months. This fear is so great that the Senior Minister was asked by the Vice Minister whether it would not be possible to entrust the Legation Guards with the policing of the southeastern part of the Tartar City. In this section are the Legation Quarter and most foreign residences.

3. The Vice Minister also asked whether the diplomatic corps could not take the initiative in demanding the exclusion of Peking from the field of military operations and its neutralization, action similar to that in 1924 at Shanghai.¹² The Vice Minister said any such suggestion or request made by the foreign representatives would be gladly supported by the Chamber of Commerce and other representative Chinese organizations.

4. General Lu has communicated to the diplomatic corps by a roundabout way his ability and willingness to adequately protect the city, but he makes the condition that a loan be arranged.

5. A meeting of interested Ministers today considered these questions. While they did not definitely refuse, they thought it would not be possible to have the Legation Guards undertake the policing of any part of the city. They also felt unable to discuss the matter of the loan which General Lu desired. They felt also that it would not be wise to take any initiative with respect to the neutralization of Peking. They did, however, authorize the Senior Minister to contact representatives of the Chamber of Commerce with a view to the possibility of giving support to any initiative which that organization might take in regard to asking for the establishment of a police force to replace the protective force which the dominant military faction placed in control of the city.

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MacMurray

12. See Foreign Relations, 1924, vol. i, pp. 363, 370, 377, and 380.