893.44 Sun Yat Sen/28: Telegram
The Minister in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State
317. Your telegram No. 96, March 18, 6 p.m.
- 1.
- The following is the translation of the Chinese Government’s
invitation:
“February 9, 1929.
Excellency: I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that June 1st, 1929, has been set as the date for the national ceremonies connected with the burial of the remains of the eminent Mr. Sun Yatsen, the founder and first President of China. I have been instructed by the chairman of the National Government to request all friendly nations to send special representative[s] to participate in the ceremonies. These are the most exalted and dignified state ceremonies of my country and I venture to request that Your Excellency telegraph to your Government inviting it to send a special representative or by means of a special order given to Your Excellency to repair to the capital as a special envoy to participate in the ceremonies, thus showing great honor to former President Sun and giving glory to the National Government and the Chinese people, as well as greatly increasing and strengthening the friendly relations now existing between the United States and China.
I have the honor to request an early reply informing me of the name of any such representative that Your Excellency’s Government may deem fit to appoint in order that proper arrangements may be made for his reception. As regards the etiquette to be followed at the time of the state burial ceremonies and as regards the etiquette and the date for the reception of the representatives, a special notification will be sent to you as soon as possible. Wang Cheng-ting.”
- 2.
- Japanese Legation is informed that it is the instructions of the Japanese Government to appoint Japanese Minister special envoy to represent the Emperor at the ceremonies, giving him no credentials but instructing him to advise the Chinese Government of his appointment in a note to the Foreign Office. This procedure is substantially similar to that proposed in the last paragraph of your telegram cited above and to that adopted by the British (my telegram No. 174, March 13, 5 p.m.92).
- 3.
- With a view to assuring uniformity of action, it has been agreed at a recent meeting of the diplomatic body that the several chiefs of mission should recommend to their Governments the adoption of the same procedure.