125.0093/312: Telegram
The Minister in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State
Peking,
April 13,
1928—1 p.m.[Received 4 p.m.
35]
228. Your 96, March 19, 6 p.m. Following message was sent to the Legation
by me from U. S. S. Isabel, March 24, 8 p.m., but
was never received:
[Page 219]
- “1. I have carefully considered with Lockhart37 and Adams38 the
Department’s telegram No. 96, March 19, 6 p.m., to the
Legation, and find them both strongly in accord with my own
view that it is premature to reopen Chungking and Changsha
consulates.
- 2. As to Chungking, I received the impression that the
situation in the Upper Yangtze, although for the moment
quiet, is very unstable, and that either local military
movements or popular reactions to any possible outside
incident might precipitate a crisis. The reopening of the
consulate would inevitably invite a general return of our
people to interior points from which it would be impossible
to withdraw them in case of a sudden necessity. Apart from
the Yangtze Rapid Steamship Company the only considerable
American business interests in the upper river are those of
the Standard Oil Company. They are reopening immediately
their Chungking office. I do not feel they will for the
present suffer any disadvantage from the absence of consul.
My own impressions bear out observations made by Adams on
recent visit that the desire of the local authorities to
regain ‘face’ through the return of our consul disposes them
to treat our rights and interests with greater consideration
than under normal circumstances. I therefor[e] recommend
that the Chungking district should continue to be
administered from Hankow until at any rate the situation in
Szechuan has clarified, the consulate general being
authorized to send a consular officer to visit Chungking
upon any occasion which in his judgment requires personal
representations.
- 3. I was unable to visit Changsha because prevalent
banditry has resulted in removal of aids to navigation so
that there was danger of indefinite delays through grounding
in Tungting. But all I could learn of conditions in Hunan
from various sources in touch with them confirmed in my mind
the wisdom of the recommendation against an early reopening
of the consulate made by Lockhart after recent visit there.
The consulate general should also be authorized to send
officer there as required.
- 4. Please quote to the Department.”
