861.77 Chinese Eastern/366
Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State (Johnson)
I asked Mr. Yung Kwai, the Chinese Chargé, to come and see me this afternoon and he came at three o’clock. I asked him what information he had as regards the dispute between China and Russia relating to the Chinese Eastern Railway. Mr. Yung Kwai stated that he was without any information whatever as he had received no telegram since the departure of Minister Wu for Geneva. He asked me whether I had any information. I told him that it was because we had information that was very disquieting that I had asked him to come to see me. I said that I had talked with the Secretary about the matter and the Secretary had indicated to me that he was very much disturbed by reports which we had received which indicated that China was apparently unwilling to begin negotiations with Russia regarding this matter and had directed me to make inquiries of him and to express our concern not only in regard to this matter but also with regard to the condition of the Russian prisoners which the Chinese had interned at Harbin.
I said to Mr. Yung Kwai that our information indicated that the negotiations between China and Russia had been broken off, or were about to be interrupted, because China was refusing to accept the appointment of a new Russian manager and a new Russian assistant manager prior to the actual convening of a conference. Mr. Yung Kwai stated that it was his belief that what China had refused to accept was the reinstatement of the old Russian manager and the old assistant manager. I stated that this was not the case, that apparently, and our information from Nanking and other quarters agreed on this, the Russians no longer requested the reinstatement of the old manager and the old assistant manager but were asking for the appointment of a new manager and a new assistant manager. I said that this request was quite in accord with the 1924 agreement and that China’s refusal to accept these men indicated that they were not quite reasonable in their attitude and that this attitude created a bad impression here. I stated that it seemed to me that China could well afford to accept a new manager and a new assistant manager as by [Page 322] so doing they would really have won a victory as they would thereby have established their right to rid themselves of appointees not agreeable to them. I stated to Mr. Yung Kwai that China was in the stronger position in these negotiations as she was in physical possesssion of a railway which she had formerly agreed was to be jointly operated by herself and Russia, having ousted her partner and that the ousted partner could do nothing now but use force to recover her position, and as the stronger party in the matter it seemed to me that it was China’s responsibility to be conciliatory in the matter in order that negotiations might be started, that the world could hardly hold China guiltless if matters should go on to a situation where there would be open conflict. I stated that our information from Europe indicated that the Russians were very much exasperated and that there was danger of open conflict, and I hoped he would communicate our concern to his Government and the feelings which I had expressed. He said that he would do so and that he would inform me of such reply as he might receive.
I stated that there was another matter that I desired to speak to him about. I said that our information indicated that the Chinese had arrested more than a thousand Russian civilian prisoners among whom were some 70 women and some 13 children under five years of age. I stated that our information was that these prisoners were crowded in dark, damp quarters with bad sanitary conditions, poor food and drinking water, with stomach trouble prevalent and an epidemic feared without adequate medical services. I stated that these conditions were bad and that I felt that we should call the attention of the Chinese Government to them and express our hope that the Chinese Government would do something towards the amelioration of these conditions in the interest of humanity. Mr. Yung Kwai stated that he would bring this matter to the attention of his Government.