893.00/5796: Telegram
The Chargé in China (Mayer) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 25—5:27 p.m.]
456. My 455, November 24, 7 p.m.
1. I have received formal note dated November 24th from Minister for Foreign Affairs [C. T. Wang?] as follows:
“I have the honor to state that on November 24th, 1924, I received a mandate from the Chief Executive of the Republic of China Tuan Chi-jui stating as follows:
‘On November 24th, 1924, I, Tuan Chi-jui, assumed office as Chief Executive of the Republic of China. At the time of assuming office I formally announced as follows: I, Tuan Chi-jui, although without ability and undeserving assume office as Chief Executive of the Republic of China, I swear that I will endeavor to consolidate the republican government, respect public opinion and strive to bring about reform within the country and raise the nation’s standing abroad. I [apparent omission] the foregoing reverently.’
I have the honor Mr. Chargé to transmit the foregoing for your information.”
2. Following mandates gazetted November 24th:
“The system of the Provisional Government of the Republic of China is hereby promulgated. Seal of the Chief Executive of the Republic of China.
- Article 1. The Provisional Government of the Republic of China shall have a Chief Executive who shall have supreme control of civil and military affairs and shall be commander in chief of the Army and Navy.
- Article 2. The Chief Executive shall act as the representative of the Republic of China in international affairs.
- Article 3. The Provisional Government shall have Ministers of State to assist the Chief Executive in attending to [apparent omission] of the President state [sic]. All mandates of the Provisional Government as well as documents relating to state matters shall be countersigned by the Ministers of State.
- Article 4. The Chief Executive shall empower Ministers of State to control the following Ministries: Foreign Affairs, Interior, Finance, War, Navy, Justice, Education, Commerce and Agriculture and Communications.
- Article 5. The Chief Executive shall summon the Ministers of State to hold Cabinet meetings.
- Article 6. This system of government shall go into effect from the date of promulgation but will be declared null and void when the formal government is established.
The Institution of the Provisional Government of the Republic of China at this time has for its object the reorganization of government on new lines and the initiation of a general change with the cooperation of the people. The task is of great magnitude and questions of every [omission] are awaiting joint solution by all concerned. All former Executive and judicial laws and orders shall continue in effect except insofar as they may be incompatible with the organization of the Provisional Government or may have been canceled by official orders.
The Government has now been established and I, the Chief Executive, have entered upon the performance of my weighty duty to the full extent of my ability. All the multifarious functions of the Government await attention and all civil and military officials in Peking and the provinces shall continue to administer their posts as in the past, lending their united assistance in meeting the difficulties of the times.”
Mandate November 24th appoints following Cabinet: Foreign Affairs, Tang Shao-yi; Interior, Kung Hsin-chan; Finance, Li Shihhao; War, Wu Kuang-hsin; Navy, Lin Chien-chang; Justice, Chang Shih-chao; Education, Wang Chiu-lihg; Agriculture and Commerce, Yang Shu-chan; Communications, Yeh Kung-cho.
3. Referring to third paragraph my 452, at meeting of heads of Legations this afternoon senior minister stated Tuan Chi-jui had approached him to ask if foreign representatives would be willing to call upon him in day or two to pay personal respects individually and without ceremony.
4. It was unanimous opinion of chiefs of mission that Tuan Chijui is the de facto government and for this reason the senior minister was authorized to reply to Tuan Chi-jui that the heads of Legations would call individually on him in day or two to pay him personal respects as head of the provisional de facto government, and that the senior minister should make it entirely clear that such action would in no way imply formal de jure recognition.
5. I made reservation that, while I personally agreed with proposed procedure, I could not associate myself therewith until I had received instructions to that effect from my Government.
6. It was the sense of the meeting that question of de jure recognition was not pending at this time owing to the fact that the present de facto authorities in their mandates and in conversation with senior minister stressed the provisional character of the present regime and since the question of de jure recognition if and when it arose was a matter for the respective Governments to decide.
[Page 401]7. Tuan Chi-jui is in my opinion and generally so considered I believe the one man in China in whom there is any hope at present of uniting the different factions and leaders in an effort to bring order and stable government out of the present situation. For this reason I believe that the Provisional Government he has set up should be given some measure of support by the foreign powers and that the procedure proposed in today’s meeting of heads of Legations as outlined above is well suited to this purpose. It commits us to nothing but a recognition of the fact that there is a de facto government under the leadership of Tuan Chi-jui. I strongly recommend that I be instructed immediately by telegraph to associate myself with other heads of Legations and to pay my respects to Tuan as set forth above.
8. It was likewise the sense of today’s meeting that the recognition of Tuan Chi-jui as the de facto authority would permit the respective Legations to reply in the usual form to the anticipated note from new Minister for Foreign Affairs announcing his assumption of office. He would be merely an officer in the de facto government. I shall also adopt this procedure unless otherwise directed by the Department.