493.11/1363
Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State
(Johnson)
[Washington,] September 21,
1928.
During the course of a conversation with the Chinese Minister today I
spoke to him about the difficulties arising from the fact that the
Nationalist Government had apparently changed the constitution and
regulations governing the Board of Trustees of the China Foundation for
the Promotion of Education and Culture who had been named by the
President as the Agent of the Chinese Government to receive the 1925
remission of the Boxer indemnity. As a memorandum of what I had to say
to him I gave him the attached. Dr. Sze said that he would communicate
this to the Minister of Foreign Affairs at Nanking.
[Annex]
Memorandum Handed to the Chinese Minister
(Sao-Ke Alfred Sze) by
the Assistant Secretary of State (Johnson)
The Department of State has received information from various sources
that the Nationalist Government has approved recommendations
designed to effect material alterations of the Constitution of the
China Foundation for the Promotion of Education and Culture,
particularly in the method of filling vacancies on the Board of
Trustees. The officers of the American Government have received no
official communication from the Nationalist Government regarding
these changes. It is necessary to take note of the fact that
material alterations in the Constitution of this Board of Trustees
will make necessary the consideration of legal questions respecting
the authority of the Treasury Department of the United States to
continue the payment of that portion of the indemnity the remission
of which was authorized in 1925. It is believed that no legal
questions will arise if the Constitution of the Board is continued
in force and if vacancies are filled in the manner set forth
therein.