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

893.00/7336: Telegram

Peking, April 21, 1926—6 p.m.
[Received April 21—10:50 a.m.]

190. My telegram number 189, April 20, 8 p.m.

1.: Tuan, before leaving, issued mandates that appeared today accepting resignations of the Premier, concurrent Minister of War, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Communications and the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs. He appointed the Minister for Foreign Affairs concurrently Acting Premier. In a final mandate he announced his retirement from office and instructed the Cabinet to assume the powers and act on behalf of the Provisional Chief Executive.
2.: I am reliably informed that the Minister for Foreign Affairs has consented to continue temporarily if Foreign Office functions. At most, only three Cabinet Ministers remain.
3.: Two officers appointed by Fengtien faction are now functioning in command of police and so-called precautionary troops. They comprise the only evidence of actual authority in Peking.
4.: I learn from apparently trustworthy source that Lu Chung-lin, with his portion of the First Kuominchun, will shortly amalgamate with Wu Pei-fu and that this will probably precipitate early hostilities between Wu and Chang Tso-lin.
5.: Attempts by Fengtien troops to force acceptance of military notes is producing financial panic in Peking while numerous outrages by these troops in the surrounding region are reported.
6.: In order to avoid expense, may I assume that telegrams of this nature containing general information regarding political and military affairs are repeated to the War and Navy Departments.
7.: Copy to Tokio by mail.

MacMurray