493.11/1637: Telegram

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

142. Your 601, June 3, 5 p.m. Department’s attitude, as indicated in its 128 of May 20, noon, remains unchanged.

In its original proposal (see your February 9, 4 p.m., from Nanking, third paragraph) the Chinese Government pointed out that the various objects to which Boxer Indemnity payments are being devoted would not suffer since the several indemnity commissions have on hand sufficient accumulated funds to cover the requirements of the next year. Department, in desiring express written assurance by the Chinese Government that the objects to which American payments are now devoted would not be permitted to suffer, is thus requesting only a reaffirmation of the assurance already given. Department, therefore, fails to perceive the basis for the apparent reluctance of the Chinese Government to repeat its previous statement. Department has always assumed that the result of a postponement of payments of American share of Boxer Indemnity would be an automatic diversion of such funds to other channels.

If, as indicated in your 570 of May 27, noon, a compliance with the suggestion of the Consul General at Nanking that he interview T. V. Soong may result in clarifying the situation, Department approves of such action.

Stimson