893.0146/476a: Telegram

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

273. There was published in the August 30th issue of the Washington Daily News and possibly in other American papers, an undated United Press report from Tientsin stating inter alia that the “withdrawal of America’s ‘foreign legion’ which has been garrisoned here since the Boxer Rebellion will result in great loss of ‘face’ to the American colonies in north China, in the opinion of foreign residents here” and that “now the Chinese Government has a right to believe that the United States refused to withdraw American troops to gain China’s friendship but is withdrawing them at the mere possibility that Japanese military commanders might not be pleased with the continued presence of American soldiers here, using contemplated removal of the American Embassy from Peiping to Nanking as an excuse for the real motive.”

The Department states for your information and use in your discretion that there is no warrant in fact for any statement affirming or implying that the United States is withdrawing American troops from or at Tientsin.

Hull