893.00/9419
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs (Johnson)
- Conversation
- The Secretary and the Chinese Minister (Sze).
- Mr. Johnson present.
Subject: Policy of the United States toward China.
The Chinese Minister called this morning at eleven o’clock. He said that he had been receiving telegrams from China, both North and South, indicating that the Chinese were very much excited over a possible change of policy on the part of the United States towards China, the Chinese apparently believing the United States was about to intervene in some way in China. The Secretary stated his loss to understand why there should be any such excitement in China at the present time; that the United States had been very consistent in its attitude toward Chinese matters and that if there were any misunderstandings [Page 144] on the part of the Chinese after the last two years, he was at a loss to know how to make them understand that there had been no change in the policy of the United States. The United States did not propose to intervene in China; it desired to refrain from any act which might be interpreted as intervention or as supporting one side or the other in the present factional strife.
Mr. Johnson observed that he believed that he could throw some light on the situation by stating that during the last few days, in connection with the visit of Mr. MacMurray to Washington, there had been published in the public press of the United States numerous articles referring to MacMurray’s visit and stating that Mr. MacMurray was here for the purpose of conferring with the President and with the Secretary on the subject of China and hinting that Mr. MacMurray would insist upon a stronger policy and that the Government would heed’ his insistence. The Chinese Minister nodded his head to this, indicating that this was doubtless the reason why he was getting these telegrams. The Secretary stated that of course such articles were absurd, that there was no truth in them. He had talked with Mr. MacMurray on two or three occasions and found that Mr. MacMurray’s ideas were in line with our own ideas with regard to what should be done in China, namely, that we should not intervene in China, but that we should do what we could to protect our people. The Secretary remarked that the policy of the United States Government was made by the President and the Secretary and he was not aware that there was any difference of opinion between the Department and the Legation on this subject and that the Minister should not be misled by rumors and gossip appearing in the press.
The Chinese Minister stated that he had had telegrams from his people referring to the presence of American forces in China and urging that they be reduced. The Secretary stated that this matter was one which had been receiving his closest attention; that there was no intention of keeping American forces in China any longer than was absolutely necessary. He stated that he had discussed the matter with the Navy Department and they were considering the question. The Secretary mentioned the fact that he had also received by telegram from the Legation at Peking a note addressed by the Chinese authorities to our Legation asking that American forces in China be reduced. He said that he was somewhat at a loss to understand why in this connection Chinese authorities had written only to us and had not written to anyone else. The Minister seemed to be somewhat at a loss to explain this. The Secretary authorized Mr. Johnson to show to the Minister the reference in the telegram to this fact, which Mr. Johnson subsequently did.
[Page 145]The Secretary assured the Minister that there had been no change in the American policy in regard to China and that as regards the question of American forces in those areas, the matter was under consideration.