Dr. Wu then stated that he understood that we had asked Sze to find out from Nanking whether it had any suggestions to offer as to treaties. I asked Dr. Wu whether Mr. Sze had told him about the conversation which he had with the Secretary and Dr. Wu said that he had not talked with Mr. Sze but that he had heard through a friend of this conversation. I told Dr. Wu that we had had a conversation with Mr. Sze during which the Secretary had said to Mr. Sze that he had an open mind on the subject of treaty revision and would be prepared to consider any suggestions which the Nationalist Government might care to offer. I said that Mr. Sze had come to me on August 20 and had reported that he had telegraphed this to the Nationalist Government and had received a reply which he had some difficulty in understanding but which was generally to the effect that in view of the fact that he was about to go to Geneva and would be very busy and much occupied, and in view of the fact that C. C. Wu was here authorized to discuss treaties, he did not need to bother about that situation. Dr. Wu said he hoped we had not interpreted this as meaning that the Nanking Government was not interested in the treaties, as his remaining here every day was an indication of its interest. I said to him that I had certainly interpreted the reply as meaning that it was not immediately interested. I asked Dr. Wu to explain to me the status of Mr. Sze. Dr. Wu said he would be frank with me and say that of course Mr. Sze had represented the Northern Government. I stopped him at this point to say that we did not recognize Sze as representing any faction in China, but as representing China and Wu continued by saying that Sze's original credentials had been issued by a government to which they were opposed and that the new Nanking Government had offered him the post of Minister. He said that after the taking of Peiping the Nanking Government had sent a circular telegram to all of the legations and consulates ordering them to carry on as before and that, of course, was what Mr. Sze was doing at the Legation. He said he had been offered the post of Minister but had refused it, communicating his refusal first to C. T. Wang. He said that later when the offer was repeated by other members of the Government he had again refused and that the last communication which he had received was one which fell in with his point of view and stated that Sze would carry on here as Minister. I asked then if Sze's status was that of Chinese Minister. Dr. Wu said it was. I said that was what we had assumed and that we were prepared to discuss matters with him as Chinese Minister. Dr. Wu asked me whether I had given any further thought to treaty revision and I said that I had not. He then said that he understood that full powers were on their way to him empowering him to negotiate for revision of treaties and he asked me what I was going to do when they arrived. I said that we would await that time, but I supposed that they would be presented in the usual diplomatic channels through Mr. Sze as Minister and he said that this was right. Dr. Wu asked me when the Secretary would be back and I told him some time between the tenth and the fifteenth, but I was not certain when. The conversation here ended. September 4, 1928. Dr. Wu called me up today by telephone to say that he was informed that the Nationalist Government of China intended to adhere to the multilateral treaty renouncing war. 893.01/334: Telegram N[ELSON] T. J[OHNSON] The Chargé in China (Perkins) to the Secretary of State [Paraphrase] PEKING, September 4, 1928-5 p. m. [Received 7:38 p. m.] 684. Department's telegram 300, August 29 [31], 7 p. m." Written and oral inquiries have been received by me in regard to the question of recognition of the Nationalist Government by the United States. I have complied with the instructions in the third paragraph of Department's 265, August 10, noon, and have avoided answering any such inquiries. Is it desired that this course be continued, or is the Legation now free to say that the conclusion of a treaty constitutes a full recognition by us of the Nationalist Government and that we are dealing with that Government on such basis? PERKINS 893.01/339a: Telegram The Secretary of State to the Minister in China (MacMurray) WASHINGTON, September 11, 1928-5 p. m. 310. Your 684, September 4, 5 p. m. In reply to inquiries you should invite attention to the fact that the Governments of the United States of America and the Republic of China, through their duly accredited representatives, on July 25 signed a formal treaty modifying certain provisions in the treaties in force between the two nations and establishing a new arrangement in substitution therefor. You may also state that the Legation has been authorized to conduct its relations with the Nationalist Government of China on a basis of full recognition. KELLOGG CHINESE PROPOSAL FOR RAISING THE LEGATIONS IN CHINA AND CHINESE LEGATIONS TO THE STATUS OF EMBASSIES " 701.9311/361 The Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs (Hornbeck) to the Secretary of State [WASHINGTON,] October 12, 1928. MR. SECRETARY: Dr. Sze 13 states that his Government is proposing that the Chinese Legation in Washington and in several other capitals be made an Embassy. This proposal involves technically, I think, two questions: the status of the Chinese mission here and the status of the American diplomatic mission in China. If we were to receive the Chinese representative as an Ambassador, it would presumably be necessary that we make our representative to China an Ambassador. Action to make our representative an Ambassador would require, as I believe you have stated to Dr. Sze, action by Congress. It is my understanding that Dr. Sze has requested an expression of this Government's opinion at an early date and that you intend to mention the matter at the meeting of the Cabinet this morning. The consummation of the proposal to exchange Ambassadors would constitute on the part of the United States the making gratuitously of a political gift to China. Several times during the past twenty years the question has been considered and the conclusion has been reached that circumstances and conditions would not warrant the action; that China had not reached such a degree of political organization and had not so conducted herself in the performance of her international obligations as to warrant this conspicuous endorsement of her claim to the rank as one of the greater powers. At this time the question should have, I would suggest, not less careful consideration than it was given on previous occasions. Among other things, the Legation in Peking should, I suggest, be consulted. If Dr. Sze must have an early reply, this Division suggests that he be informed that: 1. The Department is conferring with the Legation; "For previous correspondence concerning raising of diplomatic rank of representatives in China, see Foreign Relations, 1924, vol. 1, pp. 463 ff. 13 Sao-Ke Alfred Sze, Chinese Minister at Washington. 2. The Department feels that a number of questions in China's relations with the Powers, especially with the United States, should be cleared up before any attempt is made seriously to consider this proposal. Among other questions which might be mentioned by way of illustration are such as (a) the delay in opening the Nanking Consulate, (b) the delay in evacuating American premises unlawfully held by Chinese persons both officially and unofficially,15 (c) controversy over the Chinese demand for re-registration of trademarks and (d) the difficulty over the China Foundation.16 14 S[TANLEY] K. H[ORNBECK] 701.9311/358b: Telegram The Secretary of State to the Minister in China (MacMurray) [Paraphrase] WASHINGTON, October 12, 1928—noon. 346. I am informed by the Chinese Minister that the proposal is made by his Government that the Chinese Legation here and the American Legation and several others in Peking be made embassies. A statement of your views by cable would be welcomed by me. KELLOGG 701.9311/359: Telegram The Minister in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State [Paraphrase] PEKING, October 15, 1928-6 p. m. [Received October 15-9:05 a. m.] 771. Secretary's No. 346 of October 12. Considering the situation in China, as reported to you hitherto, and fully realizing the possibility that the regime which had been given such marked evidence of our confidence might be revealed as nothing more than a transitional phase in the political evolution of China, it seems to me that the matter is resolved into a question whether it is the desire of our Government to make such a gesture in order to demonstrate its sympathy and its confidence in regard to the political ideals towards which the people of China are striving. "See pp. 323 ff. 15 See pp. 213 ff. MACMURRAY 10 China Foundation for the Promotion of Education and Culture; see pp. 538 ff 701.0003/116 Memorandum by the Secretary of State [WASHINGTON,] October 24, 1928. When the British Ambassador called on me today, I told him that I wished to talk with him informally about the subject of raising the legations in China to embassies; that the Chinese Minister, Mr. Sze, had informally approached me and suggested that China would like to have the legations raised to embassies; that I had understood from him that like suggestions had been made to Japan, Great Britain, Germany, France and Italy-possibly others but these were the ones that he especially mentioned; that we had not taken any action on the subject but that the President had suggested that I communicate with the other governments and obtain their views on the subject; that the only government that had communicated with the Department was the French; that the French Chargé d'Affaires, M. Sartiges, had called and stated that France's disposition was to leave the matter where it was but would like to know the views of the United States and if the United States intended to act independently they would like to be informed; that Mr. Castle who interviewed him had referred him to me and I expected to see the French Ambassador tomorrow. I told the Ambassador that as he probably knew this subject had been up before; that about the time I came into office, perhaps before, the Soviet Government had raised its legation in China to an embassy; that as some of the countries did not recognize the Soviet Government this had raised some embarrassing questions as to who should be the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Peking; that undoubtedly this had been done by Russia with a view to embarrassing the other countries and to obtain all the benefits and influence in China which Russia could by such action; that at that [time] it did not seem advisable to the other countries to follow the action of Russia and nothing had been done; that Russian influence had since then largely disappeared in China and the question now was whether raising the legations to embassies would not give moral support of the principal powers to the aspirations of China and tend to strengthen the present government; that in my opinion there was more hope today for a unified and somewhat stable government than there had been for many years; that as long as the animosities existed between the north and the south, between Chang Tso Lin "7 and Chiang Kai Shek 18 and others who were dominant from time to time, it was 17 Formerly generalissimo of military and naval forces under the Peking Government; died June 4, 1928. 18 Commander in chief of the Chinese Nationalist armies. |