711.933/55: Telegram
The Minister in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State
406. Following from American Consul General at Shanghai:
“May 20, 4 p.m. The following resolution passed at a meeting of representatives of American, British, French and Japanese Chambers of Commerce on May 10th and has been approved by Board of Directors of American, British, French and Japanese Chambers; and American Chamber requests it be forwarded to the Department of State. The bill for charges in connection therewith will be honored by the Chamber:
Whereas, the National Government of China at Nanking has recently despatched a note to the various foreign powers whose nationals enjoy extraterritorial rights by virtue of treaties concluded between such powers and China, requesting the removal at the earliest possible date of foreign consular jurisdiction in China and requesting that such powers will give this desire of China immediate and favorable consideration, so that steps may be taken for the National Government of China to assume jurisdiction over all persons within her domain,
And whereas, in accordance with the decision taken at the Washington Conference a commission representing the United States of America, the British Empire, China, France, Japan and other powers was appointed, and after due investigation and consideration prepared and presented a report making definite recommendations with regard to the abolition of extraterritoriality and now is [sic] precedent to such abolition certain conditions should be fulfilled by China,
And whereas, although the Nanking Government has made progress, the conditions laid down by the Commission on Extraterritoriality in China have [Page 567] not been fulfilled; civil war still continues; the judges of the Chinese courts are made subject to the control and authorities of a single political party, thus interfering with the administration of justice; the unification and stabilization has not been achieved and life and property, both Chinese and foreign, is inadequately protected by the law and its administration,
And whereas, these questions involve huge property interests and the safety of thousands of American, British, French and Japanese citizens and subjects,
Be it resolved, that the American, British, French and Japanese Chambers of Commerce in Shanghai represented at this meeting petition that the joint action of the powers as represented by the Commission on Extraterritoriality in China should be maintained by the Governments of the United States of America, the British [Empire?], and Japan as the basis for any consideration of the aforementioned request of the National Government, and that these powers refrain from modifying the existing status of foreigners in China until a further joint investigation shall have demonstrated China’s fulfillment of the conditions indicated in the report of the Commission on Extraterritoriality in China.’”
- Telegram in three sections.↩