Office of the Historian

493.11/1870: Telegram

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

Peiping, May 29, 1934—2 p.m.
[Received May 29—11:40 a.m.]

225. Legation’s 186, April 21, 11 a.m. and Department’s 128, April 26, 5 p.m.

1.
Legation has completed preparation of a list of some 650 claims from data in its files. In going through this list with the idea of preparing a “selected list” for presentation to Chinese Foreign Office the Legation has been more and more persuaded of impracticability of such a method, (a) because presentation of such a selected list [Page 555] might cast doubt upon subsequent lists, (b) we want the establishment of a claims commission. Such piecemeal presentation would merely serve to delay decision in this matter.
2.
With the Department’s approval Legation proposes to make a list of entire 600-odd claims arranged alphabetically showing amount of claims as of date filed or presented and a very general statement as to the nature of claim for presentation to the Foreign Office with a statement that the claims listed have been [taken?] from the records of the Legation but that the list cannot be considered as complete and consequently it is submitted without prejudice to other American claims against the Chinese Government.
3.
Legation believes this would be better tactics in that presentation of such a list might be helpful in persuading Foreign Office to accept idea of Claims Commission.
Johnson