Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1917, Supplement 2, The World War, Volume I

File No. 763.72/7373

The French Ambassador ( Jusserand) to the Secretary of State

[Translation]

Washington, October 16, 1917.
[Received October 18.]

Mr. Secretary of State: My Government has informed me of the purport of the answers made by the Chinese Government to the propositions presented by the Allied Ministers at Peking and no doubt already reported to Your Excellency by the Minister of the United States to China.¹

They are to the effect that the Chinese Government sets aside the Allied requests for a total prohibition against trade with the enemy by Chinese, the unconditional internment of enemy subjects, and the liquidation of commercial houses (questions 2, 3, 4¹). It further attempts to avoid any undertaking with regard to the participation of the Allies in organizing enemy concessions (question 5¹). On all other points full satisfaction is promised.

As military assistance from China can be but limited, the Government of the Republic holds that the Allies must strive to obtain effective aid from her on economic lines by putting an end to the injury inflicted on Allied commerce by the Germans. It further deems it imperative that measures be taken to intern or expel enemy subjects so as to prevent their carrying on intrigues that are as harmful to the maintenance of order in China as to the obvious interests of the Allies.

I am asked to submit the foregoing considerations to Your Excellency and to request that, if you deem it expedient, you kindly instruct the American Minister at Peking with a view to obtaining from the Chinese Government a satisfactory answer to questions 2, 3 and 4 that have been put to it by the Allied Ministers.

Be pleased to accept [etc.]

Jusserand

1. See telegram from the Minister in China, ante, p. 685; sec. 2, pars. B, C, D, and E of that document are referred to here as questions 2, 3, 4, and 5. See also despatch No. 1672 from the Minister in China, post, p. 701.
1. See telegram from the Minister in China, ante, p. 685; sec. 2, pars. B, C, D, and E of that document are referred to here as questions 2, 3, 4, and 5. See also despatch No. 1672 from the Minister in China, post, p. 701.
1. See telegram from the Minister in China, ante, p. 685; sec. 2, pars. B, C, D, and E of that document are referred to here as questions 2, 3, 4, and 5. See also despatch No. 1672 from the Minister in China, post, p. 701.