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

893.512/517: Telegram

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

Peking , January 13, 1927—4 p.m.
[Received January 13—10 a.m.]

27. My telegram number 22, January 11, 10 a.m.^22a

1. Dr. Koo as “Minister for Foreign Affairs and Acting Premier” of the new regency Cabinet established by Chang Tso-lin²³ (as to which I am reporting separately) sent a Secretary of the Foreign Office yesterday evening to inform me that the Cabinet had enacted yesterday three mandates (which have been promulgated during the night) of the following tenor: first, tariff law autonomy will become effective January 1st, 1929; second, Washington surtaxes²⁴ will be levied for February 1st next through the Maritime Customs; meanwhile Foreign Office is to take up with Legations immediately the question of resuming Tariff Conference²⁵ with a view to arranging for the higher so-called interim surtaxes; and third, new revenues thus made available are to be applied (in proportions hereafter to be determined) to three purposes, namely, sinking fund for abolition of likin, funding of unsecured debts, and urgent administration and constructive expenses (presumably including therein China’s Leagued of Nations contribution and maintenance of foreign representation).

2. Will forward comment later.

MacMurray

1. Not printed.
23. Commander in chief of the Chinese Northern armies.
24. See art. iii, nine-power treaty concerning the revision of the Chinese customs tariff, signed at Washington, Feb. 6, 1922, Foreign Relations, 1922, vol. i, pp. 282, 285.
25. See ibid., 1926, vol. i, pp. 743 ff; also ante, pp. 371 ff.