Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1919, Russia

861.77/616: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain (Davis)⁵²

Washington, February 10, 1919, 4 p.m.

4496. Department has notified Japanese Ambassador here today, officially that United States accepts the plan for the supervision of the Siberian railways, including the Chinese Eastern, in the zone where the military forces of the Allies are now operating in Siberia, on the understanding set forth in a memorandum handed to Viscount Uchida by the American Ambassador at Tokio and agreed to by former and with due reservation as to any financial responsibility which may be involved and which it is suggested shall be the subject of further discussion. The memorandum in question was quoted in Department’s telegram January 13 to Embassy at London to repeat to Rome and Paris. The text of memorandum as presented now by Japanese Embassy in second caption omits words “to be discussed “in reference to Czecho-Slovaks which Department considers does not modify meaning. In note of acceptance to Viscount Ishii attention was called to financial reservation and to the interpretation to be placed on the word “interest” as used in next to last sentence of section 3 of the plan and statement made that United States understands the word in this case is used as meaning the convenience of the respective Allied Governments and the United States and not as implying any political or territorial rights or spheres of influence and that, as is stated so clearly in the memorandum the plan is to be interpreted as a sincere effort to operate the railways in the interest of the Russian people. Please notify Government to which you are accredited formally of action taken and communicate copy of plan and memorandum including in your communication reference to financial reservation and to this Government’s interpretation of the word “interests” as described above. Notify your Japanese colleague of these instructions and of action you propose to take. In communicating plan to Government to which you are accredited please say that this Government hopes very much to learn that the plan is approved and will be supported by the cordial cooperation on the part of the Governments concerned which is necessary for its success.

. . . . . . .

Polk

52. The portion of telegram here printed was sent also to the Ambassador in France as no. 7355 and to the Ambassador in Italy as no. 1992 (file no. 861.77/675 d).