Office of the Historian

861.77 Chinese Eastern/53: Telegram

The Minister in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State

Peking, July 21, 1929—4 p.m.
[Received July 21—1:16 p.m.97]

607. Legation’s 593, July 19, 2: p.m.98 Following from American Consul, Nanking:

“July 19, 3 p.m. Am unofficially informed by reliable source in Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the Chinese Government have decided, subject to conference with Wang tomorrow, to publish documents seized in Soviet Consulate at Harbin99 in substantiation of statements made in Chinese note, dated July 16, to the Russian Government with respect to Soviet propaganda in China. Wang expected to arrive Nanking this afternoon.

Information has reached me indirectly from Kuomintang headquarters that decision to seize Chinese Eastern Railway was made in Peking at conference attended by Chiang Kai-shih, Chang Hsuehliang and C. T. Wang and that telegrams were immediately thereafter despatched to General Chang Ching-hui and Lu Yung-huan ordering execution of such decision. Same source states that in reaching decision those responsible envisaged possible failure of efforts to settle resulting controversy by negotiations.

The apparently firm attitude of the Chinese Government in Chinese Eastern Railway controversy seems to gratify local Chinese. Leaders of Nanking Chamber of Commerce state that they will wholeheartedly support Government in maintaining China’s ‘rights’ against Soviet Russia. My impression is, however, that these Chinese do not fully realize gravity of the situation.”

MacMurray
  1. Telegram in two sections.↩
  2. Not printed.↩

  3. Publication in the Shanghai press began on July 22, 1929, under date of July 19 and later from Nanking.

    For pamphlet collection, see Documents With Reference to the Sino-Russian Dispute, 1929, published by the Far Eastern Information Bureau, Nanking, 1929 (861.77 Chinese Eastern/356).

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