793.94/5476: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in China (Johnson)

271. Reference Department’s 247, August 9, 6 p.m., and Tokyo’s telegram to Department of August 11, 8 p.m., repeated to Peiping, on subject of Legation quarter.

1. Both the British and the Italian Embassies here have approached the Department on the subject of possible steps to be taken in case menace of military operations around Peiping develops. Statements which they make indicate that the question of possibly proposing neutralization of the Legation quarter has been submitted by their representatives at Peiping to their governments respectively and that their governments approve in principle.

The British Government feels that effort to deal with the question of possible withdrawal of Japanese Legation guard would be unwise and useless. As you know, the Department holds that view.

With regard to question of neutralizing Legation quarter, Department feels that such a proposal if made by powers and if agreed to by Japanese and Chinese Governments would have little practical value. If fighting occurs near to, within or over Peiping, the Legation quarter will be in constant physical jeopardy no matter what its legal status. Department therefore feels that discussion of question of neutralization should envisage the whole city of Peiping and immediately surrounding territory. Unless you see substantial reasons contra, which reasons you should at once report to the Department, Department desires that in these discussions you take that position.

Department has been asked whether it supposes that Japan would agree to neutralization of Peiping. In the Department’s analysis of that question, Department estimates that among the considerations which would be weighed by the Japanese in making their decision, those in favor of agreeing to such a proposal, if made, outweigh those against. Department therefore perceives no reason for assuming that the Japanese would not agree to such a proposal; and Department believes that the project of making such proposal, in the event that the menace develops, should be considered on its merits.

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2. The Department has informed the British and the Italian Embassies here and the American Embassy in Tokyo that it is our view that this matter can most advantageously be threshed out among the diplomatic representatives in Peiping and that we hope that those representatives will make common recommendations to their various governments respectively.

3. Communicate this in paraphrase by mail to Tokyo.

Castle