793.003/608a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Consul General at Nanking (Peck)
[Paraphrase]
Washington, April 17, 1931—6
p.m.
25. For Minister Johnson: Department’s 19, April 9, 2 p.m., to the Consul General at Nanking.98
- (1)
- The Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs will be absent from the Department until April 23, as he is proceeding to Portal, North Dakota, to meet the King of Siam. During Hornbeck’s absence, the Department is arranging for Joseph E. Jacobs to discuss with the Chinese Legation the wording of the 12 articles of the extraterritoriality draft handed by C. C. Wu on April 8 to the Department. These articles for the most part appear substantially acceptable, provided that additional articles can be agreed upon later to cover matters not therein provided for. Thus the Department hopes an accord may be reached with Wu regarding the legal safeguards which were discussed last month at Nanking between the British and Chinese negotiators, thereby bringing the negotiations here abreast of the point which the Sino-British negotiations have already reached.
- (2)
- When Hornbeck returns, the Department will, should the circumstances warrant, start discussing with the Chinese Minister the major issues involved and hopes thereafter to press the American negotiations vigorously forward either here or in Nanking, as required by the circumstances.
- (3)
- The Department desires you to give Sir Miles Lampson all possible and proper practical aid and support when he renews conversations at Nanking with Dr. C. T. Wang regarding the remaining vital issues. You may confidentially inform Lampson of the Department’s willingness to give support in the defense of the position which the British Government may take in refusing to enter into an agreement conceding to China jurisdiction at Shanghai and/or the other ports which have been under consideration. If you feel at any time that discussion with C. T. Wang of any of the vital issues will be helpful toward successfully concluding our mutual negotiations, the Department wishes you to do this. It is the Department’s hope that treaties identical or similar in their provisions may be concluded between China and Great Britain and between China and the United States.
- (4)
- Please inform the Department as to present indications regarding the opening or the postponement of the Chinese National [Page 795] People’s Convention. The Department wishes to be kept fully informed as to the British-Chinese negotiations and will be glad to have suggestions or comments.
Stimson