893.00/10961: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 7—5:40 p.m.]
549. Representatives here of the powers signatory to the Treaty of Versailles16 have received a memorandum dated Peiping, June 25, [Page 19] from Marshal Yen Hsi-shan’s “Department of Foreign Affairs of the Chinese Republic” protesting, on the basis of articles Nos. 170, 171 and 179 of the treaty,17 against the activities on behalf of the Nanking Government of German military advisers and against purchases by that Government of arms and ammunition in Germany.
A copy of the memorandum was also received by this Legation which orally informed Yen’s representative that the United States is not a party to treaty. The Legation is informed by the British Minister and by the Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of France that they have supplied copies of the memorandum to their respective Governments but have made no reply, for one reason on account of their belief that the German; Government itself does not endorse the private proposals appealed against. The Germans understand that similar action is being taken by the other foreign representatives concerned.