711.9312Anti-War/12
The Minister in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of
State
Peking, September 25,
1928.
[Received November 12.]
No. 1676Sir: In confirmation of the Legation’s
telegram No. 720, of September 21, 3 P.M., and with reference to the
Legation’s despatch No. 1635, of August 29, 1928,81 regarding the
multilateral treaty for the renunciation of war signed in Paris on
August 27, 1928, I have the honor to enclose a copy of the note of
September 13, 1928, in which the Nationalist Minister for Foreign
Affairs states that his Government has decided to adhere to the
treaty without delay.
The note was received by the Legation in English and in Chinese, both
versions being signed by Dr. Wang. The Chinese text, however, bears
the date of September 14th, which suggests that the English version
was composed first and subsequently rendered into Chinese.
As the Department will observe, Dr. Wang has seized the opportunity,
in concluding the note, to give further expression to sentiments
which are very familiar under present circumstances. He stated that
his Government felt that the signatory powers of the treaty would
abide by its spirit and “remove, at the earliest opportunity, all of
China’s unequal treaties and encroachments upon her sovereignty, as,
for instance, the stationing of large numbers of alien troops on her
soil.”
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure]
The Chinese Minister for Foreign
Affairs (Wang) to the American
Chargé (Perkins)
Nanking, September 13, 1928.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your communication dated August 27 in which the
Government of the United States of America presents for my
consideration and for the approval of my Government the text of
a treaty that was signed on the same day in Paris by the
Governments of Germany, the United States of America, Belgium,
France, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South
Africa, The Irish Free State, India, Italy, Japan, Poland, and
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Czecho-Slovakia
binding them to renounce war as an instrument of national policy
in their relations with one another and to seek only by pacific
means the settlement or solution of all disputes which may arise
among them.
The ideals which are embodied in this treaty of extraordinary
significance are the foundation on which the national life of
the Chinese people is constructed, and I wish, therefore,
immediately to avail myself of this opportunity to inform you
that this impressive movement for the perpetuation of universal
peace and for the advancement of world civilization, aroused our
sympathetic interest from the very beginning and that, in the
present form as a definitive treaty, my Government has decided
to adhere to it without delay.
The Chinese Government and people feel deeply confident that the
interdependence of the different nations of the world is making
it increasingly manifest to all thinking minds that the
renunciation of war and a frank avowal of the need of friendly
relations is the only means to save civilization from the danger
of destruction. We are, indeed, brought before the supreme test
whether, after those painful experiences of a few years ago
which still linger in our memory, we are not yet convinced of
the absolute necessity of a real spirit of mutual co-operation
to guide us in our national policies towards one another. It is
therefore a source of profound satisfaction to see that this
action of momentous importance, so ably sponsored by the United
States of America, is receiving universal response.
As you are aware, the whole conception of life among my people
centres round the ideal of harmony. It is indeed difficult, if
not impossible, to find in all our thinkers a view of life which
justifies conflict in any form as the basis of a national
policy; and I venture to think that it is this idea of harmony
and peace which accounts for the stability of our civilization
and the extraordinary length of our history. The present treaty
to renounce war is, in fact, a vindication of the teachings of
our revered ancestors, and especially as these teachings, which
have been amplified by our late leader Dr. Sun Yat-sen, so
clearly embodied in such noble principles as “Universal Justice”
and “The Brotherhood of nations”, are also at the present moment
being applied in the building up of a new China, the Chinese
people are prepared to join with America and the other signatory
Powers with more than the usual enthusiasm in endeavoring to
attain the noble ends of peace.
We are deeply sensible, however, that in order to make war really
impossible, it is necessary to eliminate all causes which are
likely to give rise to any international dispute, and to rigidly
uphold the principle of equality and mutual respect for
territorial sovereignty among all nations. My Government,
therefore, firmly believes that
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the signatory powers will abide by the
spirit of the present treaty and remove, at the earliest
opportunity, all of China’s unequal treaties and encroachments
upon her sovereignty, as, for instance, the stationing of large
numbers of alien troops on her soil. For it is clear that a free
and independent China is one of the most vital factors, whereby
permanent world peace may be promoted and strengthened.
I avail myself [etc.]
