861.77/2758
The Chief of the Division of Russian Affairs (Poole) to the Secretary of State
Mr. Secretary: The Chinese Minister called at the Department yesterday and brought to the attention of Mr. Lockhart and myself the publication in the Philadelphia Public Ledger of statements respecting the purpose of the United States and other Powers to take action in the immediate future concerning the Chinese Eastern Railway. It was explained to the Minister that nothing whatever on this subject had been given out from the State Department; that in all probability the article in question was written by some newspaper man who had a general familiarity with the situation and who had received newspapers from Japan containing the “leak” concerning the Chinese Eastern, which had occurred about a month ago.
The Minister said also that he had had urgent telegrams from the Foreign Office at Peking directing him to ascertain what negotiations were in progress and to present to this Government the declaration which he had received some time ago, reported in my memorandum of September 14.92 This declaration was to the effect that China would not recognize any agreement entered into secretly by Japan and the United States affecting the Chinese Eastern Railway.
Mr. Lockhart and I renewed to the Minister the assurances given him on an earlier occasion that there was nothing in the negotiations now in progress with respect to the Chinese Eastern which could be considered detrimental to China’s interests or in contravention of the third of the Chinese ten points, which calls for the inclusion of China in all treaties and agreements relating to China. We told him that his Government would be informed in due course of the action proposed but that we could not give him information on this subject [Page 917] officially while the concurrence of certain Powers yet remained to be given. We advised him unofficially and personally, however, of the general nature of the action which the United States had proposed.
Respectfully,
- Not printed.↩