793.94/5495a: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in China (Johnson)
275. New York Times this morning carries news despatch dated Peiping August 19 stating that Japanese Legation guard engaged in military maneuvers outside of Legation quarter from midnight to dawn previous night and that Doyen of Diplomatic Corps has transmitted from “one of the most important Legations” a warning against “continuance of provocative and dangerous military activities in the orderly Chinese city”; and that today the possibility of concerted foreign representations to Japan was considered.
[Page 571]If the Japanese guard so acted, you are authorized to participate in discussions of ways and means toward preventing repetition of such action by Japanese and prohibiting such by any of Legation guards. If a concurrence of views with regard to possible action by the powers is arrived at you should report same to Department and await instruction before participating in making any representations.
For your guidance, Department is inclined tentatively to the view that for chance of success, representations, if made, would need to be made, by the principal powers concerned, at Tokyo.