893.00P.R.Mukden/21
The Consul at Mukden (Myers) to the Minister in China (MacMurray)68
Sir:
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Under instructions from Moscow the local Soviet Consul General filed a protest with the Mukden Government against the seizure of the Harbin telephone service operated by the Chinese Eastern Railway. The protest was made to the Commissioner of Foreign Affairs and after its delivery the Consul General accompanied by the Commissioner called on General Chang Hsueh-liang. To the representations made, General Chang is reported to have replied that the Government’s action was in accord with China’s sovereign rights and was entirely proper.
As far as can be learned, there have been no negotiations between the local Soviet Consulate General and the Chinese Eastern Railway. It was reliably reported that at a conference held at Mukden on January 21st the decision was reached to continue to recognize the 1924 Mukden Agreement with the Soviets but later information clearly indicates that the Chinese Eastern Railway question is by no means settled. That the Chinese are considering ways and means of bringing to fruition their pet scheme of taking over the Chinese Eastern Railway there seems to be little doubt. (Reference—my confidential despatch No. 168 of January 4, 1929, entitled “Chinese Eastern Railway Telephone Service”).
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I have [etc.]
- Copy transmitted to the Department without covering letter; received March 2, 1929.↩