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

893.00/7274: Telegram

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

Peking , April 3, 1926—5 p.m.
[Received April 3—10:30 a.m.]

164. My 153, March 26, 7 p.m.

1. Politico-military situation is still confused and offers little tangible or authoritative material on which to base judgment.

2. I am informed from two separate highly credible sources that, at a recent conference at Tangshan among Chang Tso-lin, Li Chinglin and Chang Tsung-ch’ang, it was definitely decided to pursue campaign against the Kuominchun until they were eliminated.

3. Lu Chung-lin and that portion of the First Kuominchun under his command, seem to be the focus of the present negotiations among the various factions. According to well-informed Chinese and foreigners, Wu Pei-fu, on the one hand, is dickering with Lu Chung-lin in an effort to gain the latter’s allegiance and at the same time strengthen his own position immeasurably by becoming associated with probably the best army in China and obtaining control of Peking. Tuan, for his part, is believed to be negotiating with Lu with a view to Lu’s joining Anfu clique and thus rehabilitating it by the addition [of] his personality and the armed forces under his command, a step which would continue Tuan and his adherents in possession of Peking and of the Government while constituting a powerful third party which could align itself either with Chang or Wu on an independent basis or oppose either of these leaders with reasonable promise of success should the latter policy seem preferable. Such negotiations among the various factions are doubtless responsible for the present stalemate. Consistent reports, however, continue to be received that the Fengtien forces are advancing against the Kuominchun.

4. This is confirmed by bombing of Peking yesterday morning and this morning. On April 2nd three bombs were dropped from an aeroplane flying at a great height which exploded near the Hsichihmen¹³ wounding or killing at least one person, official reports being difficult to obtain. One or more aeroplanes circled over Peking at 10 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. this morning. Bombs were dropped inside walls of Peking as follows: On first flight, 6 in and around North Lake in the Tartar City, 3 of which failed to explode; on second flight, 4 in a line from east to west about one-third of a mile south of southern boundary of the Legation Quarter, that is, the south wall of the Tartar City. Altogether 10 bombs were dropped but little damage was done and no one injured.

5. American newspaper correspondents inform me that they understand their reports of yesterday’s bombing were deleted by the censor. They would appreciate the Department’s bringing the facts of yesterday’s and today’s bombing to the notice of the principal news associations having agencies in Washington.

6. The city seems calm despite aeroplane attack and the uncertainty of the present state of affairs.

MacMurray

13. The railroad station near the northwestern gate to the Inner City.