793.94/5470: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 6—4:56 a.m.]
904. My 894, August 3, 8 p.m., 882, August 1, 6 p.m. Wellington Koo came to see me last evening and in the course of long conversation spoke of danger of military action in this area and asked about possibility of neutralizing Peiping and Tientsin. I replied that neutralization of Peiping depended upon willingness of the Chinese to remove military headquarters and all military units from this area. Koo seemed to think this possible, saying military headquarters would be moved to Tungchow. He mentioned use of a neutral force to preserve neutrality and I said that United States would be loath to use its force except for the purpose it was placed here, namely to defend the Legation. As to Tientsin I pointed out that importance of communications placed Tientsin in a different category. I did not see how any agreement to neutralize Tientsin would be possible.