711.933/206
The Secretary of State to the French Ambassador (Claudel)
My Dear Mr. Ambassador: I hasten to acknowledge the receipt of your personal letter of December third and its enclosure,41 a résumé [Page 654] of the instructions sent by M. Briand to the Minister of France in Peiping on the subject of extraterritoriality.
Your words of congratulation and your expression of cordial approval in relation to the communication which this Government has made to China and Russia42 are very gratifying to me. I wish to express, and I shall be glad if you will report, my very great appreciation of the prompt, cordial and complete cooperation of your Government and the assistance which it has rendered.
Referring to the résumé of instructions to your Minister in China and to your request for an expression of my view, I find it somewhat difficult to formulate a statement. Although I realize from statements which have appeared in the press that the Chinese officials have stated publicly that it is their Government’s intention to denounce the treaties or the extraterritorial provisions thereof on January 1, 1930, the American Government has not received from the Chinese Government any formal notification of that Government’s intention to make such a denunciation.
As you know, the American Government, in its notes of August tenth and November first to the Chinese Government, has affirmed its willingness to negotiate on the subject of extraterritoriality, on a basis specified of gradual relinquishment. Conversations have been held between officers of the American Government and the Chinese Minister in Washington, and, although nothing definite has come out of these conversations, I am committed to entering upon negotiations at the convenience of the Chinese Government. Believing that the Chinese will not themselves make any proposals short of the proposal that extraterritoriality be abolished immediately, I have been studying various projects of possible alternative courses.
As you also know, I have taken the position ever since the suggestion was first made that a warning be given the Chinese Government by the Powers jointly with a view to anticipating and discouraging unilateral action by the Chinese on January first, that it would be better not to take cognizance of the intimations which the Chinese officials have given, from time to time through the press, of such intention on their part. I have been unwilling, so far as my Government is concerned, to commit myself to that proposed action. Nevertheless, if your Government, in view of the note which it has received, feels that a useful purpose will be served by its giving such a warning I feel that it is not for me to suggest that it refrain from so doing.
I note with interest, and I shall give consideration to the view of your Government, that in the event of the denunciation of the treaties by the Chinese Government, recourse be had to the Permanent Court of Justice at the Hague.
[Page 655]I send you herewith a copy of a project of a proposal which I have under consideration, along with others, for possible presentation to the Chinese Minister here.43
Sincerely yours,