893.00 Nanking/227: Telegram
The Minister in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 10—9:50 a.m.]
1079. 1. The Japanese Minister has informed his British, French, and Italian colleagues and myself that the Japanese Government believes that independently of any eventual settlement of Nanking affair it would be well to seek an expression of regret from Ch’eng Ch’ien for his part in that affair as a previous condition to entering into direct relations with him at Hankow. Unless a satisfactory expression of regret was received from Ch’eng, the Japanese would inform him that at Hankow the Japanese consul general “will interrupt all communication with him jointly with the Japanese Navy and no other facilities will be given him and all negotiations will be carried on with the Commissioner of Foreign Affairs.” It is the hope of the Japanese Government that the other interested powers will act in the same way but if they do not it proposes to act alone.
2. I do not consider it necessary to deal directly with Ch’eng Ch’ien. His position at Hankow is precarious. I do not see, either, that any considerable advantage will be gained by obtaining an expression of regret from him. It would be of no particular value and would absolve him from any further responsibility. Also I am afraid of becoming mixed up in the complicated intrigues which now involve Ch’eng Ch’ien and other Kuomintang leaders. I do not think, therefore, that we should join the Japanese in taking the action they propose.
3. This telegram repeated to Tokyo as Legation’s No. 58 of December 10.