Papers Relating to the Foreign relations of the United States, 1927, Volume II

893.00/9119

The Secretary of State to President Coolidge¹⁷

Washington, June 21, 1927.

My Dear Mr. President: We have had little important news from China of late. Yesterday afternoon a cable came in from MacMurray which I think you should have but I hardly think it is necessary to telegraph it to you. I enclose a paraphrase of it.¹⁸ It indicates that Mr. MacMurray is considering the matter along the lines of our previous instructions and generally, I should say practically, in conformity with Admiral Williams’ advice heretofore given us.

At the bottom of page three and the top of page four, you will notice that he advises that our forces should not cooperate in reasserting the foreign rights acquired under the Boxer Protocol and refers to the identic notes of July 15, 1902. These rights have long been in abeyance and have not been exercised by the Powers. When the Rebellion was over, the Powers had control of and governed Tientsin and Peking and also controlled the railroad. These were military governments. When the government of Tientsin was turned back to the Chinese, it was stipulated among other things that there should be no Chinese soldiers between six and two-third English miles of the city of Tientsin or of two miles on either side of the railroad. As a matter of fact, this right has not been exercised for some time and apparently from Mr. MacMurray’s note the Powers have been considering the subject of reasserting these rights. I see no object in this and agree with Mr. MacMurray that we should not participate in any such action.

You will also notice on page four that Mr. MacMurray feels that the danger to the legations at Peking is extremely slight. I do not know whether General Butler agrees with this recommendation or not but I rather think he does because he advises that the most practical means for maintaining the safety of the legations is to keep the river Peiho open from Tientsin to the sea, a distance of somewhere between forty and fifty miles. We have heretofore insisted that this River must be kept open and last year we insisted that the Chinese must cease blockading the River.

I will telegraph you any important developments in relation to China.

Faithfully yours,

Frank B. Kellogg

17. President Coolidge was at the summer Executive Offices in Rapid City, S. Dak.
18. Telegram No. 659, June 18, 8 p.m., supra. This telegram which was received Saturday evening, June 18, was evidently not circulated in the Department until Monday, June 20.