125.643/63: Telegram
The Minister in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State
[Received 2:20 p.m.]
808. Referring again to the Department’s 367, November 2, 11 a.m. Assuming that the Department is ready to give consideration to the recommendation in the fourth paragraph of the Legation’s 807, November 3, 5 p.m., it is suggested that if the persistency of the press is embarrassing in any way, the Department might be relieved from a defensive position by publicizing the fact that although we were inclined not to stand upon any formality and were quite willing to cooperate in making arrangements for what the Minister of Foreign Affairs himself thought would be appropriate ceremonies to mark the return of the American flag to the capital of the Nationalists, where it had been subjected to desecration and was driven out in March 1927, the Nationalist authorities at Nanking (not the United States) have raised the question by revoking the promise which their Foreign Minister made and by declaring their unwillingness to render, as agreed, the customary honors. It may be made known further that the placing of any such obstacle in the way of a resumption of our consular representation at Nanking is, of course, regretted by us, but that if the Nationalist authorities themselves raise the issue as to whether the American flag and what it represents are entitled to those honors which are customarily recognized as due, then we are thrust into the unfortunate position of having no alternative but to refuse to accept humiliating and unexpected terms upon which the Chinese desire that our consulate at Nanking be reopened.