be pointed out that the co-operation of the four-Power radio interests on the lines indicated can not, in any sense, be taken as a measure implying any degree of international control, or international administration, of wireless telegraphy in China, which is as strongly deprecated by the Japanese Government as by the Chinese Government. (4) Should the foregoing observations meet the approval of China, the Japanese Government, on their part, will be happy to do whatever lies in their power, in co-operation with the Chinese Government, to expedite a solution of the long pending difficulty. Being satisfied that it is not so much a question of principle as of detail which separates the Japanese and Chinese proposals under review, the Japanese Government are encouraged in the hope that a fair and speedy adjustment could be arrived at, if the same basic principle now found acceptable to both Governments will commend itself equally to a favourable reception on the part of the American Government. 893.74/628 The Japanese Embassy to the Department of State 3 The American Government appears to be under the apprehension that the Japanese proposal embodied in the memorandum of the Japanese Embassy, Washington, dated December 24th, 1924, may not commend itself to the Chinese Government. An examination, however, of the Chinese proposal recently made to the United States and Japan shows that the Chinese Government has as its aim to manage and work on its own account the Chinese radio stations to be established with foreign loans, and that the main purpose of the Chinese proposal is in substantial agreement with that of the Japanese proposal. It is thus believed to mark a step forward toward the adjustment of the question of wireless telegraphy in China. In these circumstances, it is most earnestly hoped that this long pending controversy may speedily be settled on the basis of the Japanese proposal above alluded to. With this hope in view, the Japanese Government ventures to suggest again that as set forth in the last paragraph of the Memorandum of the Japanese Embassy, Washington, dated June 1st, 1925, the Japanese proposal be submitted to a meeting of representatives of the radio interests of the various countries concerned to be examined and reported as to its feasibility. 33 Handed to the Secretary by the Japanese Ambassador, Oct. 9, 1925. 893.74/646: Telegram The Minister in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State PEKING, December 29, 1925-10 a. m. [Received December 29-5:06 a. m.] 550. 1. Your 345, December 23, 2 p. m.34 Minister of Communication [s] Yeh left Peking on October 24th and Vice Minister Cheng on November 10th, and have not returned. Minister of Interior Kung was appointed on November 28th concurrently Acting Minister of Communication[s]; but because of the above circumstances and political instability I have been unable to move the Ministry of Communications to initiate negotiations with Davis for modification of contract. Davis has been in constant touch with Director General of Telegraphs who advised against negotiating with the Acting Minister, consequently there has been no progress since exchange of note[s] of October 6th and 8th-See my 430, October 8, 8 [11] p. m., paragraph 1. 2. Appointment of a substantive Minister of Communications seems imminent and I will seize early opportunity to reopen matter with him. MACMURRAY EXECUTIVE ORDER BY PRESIDENT COOLIDGE REMITTING FURTHER PAYMENTS BY CHINA ON THE BOXER INDEMNITY " 493.11/1168 Executive Order No. 4268, July 16, 1925, Providing for the Remission of Further Payments of the Annual Installments of the Chinese Indemnity WHEREAS, a Joint Resolution of Congress, entitled a "Joint Resolution to provide for the remission of further payments of the annual installments of the Chinese indemnity", approved May 21, 1924, provides as follows: 36 "Whereas by authority of a joint resolution of Congress approved May 25, 1908, the President of the United States was authorized to remit unto China the sum of $11,961,121.76 of the Boxer indemnity fund accredited to the United States, which sum the President on December 28, 1908, duly remitted and which, at the request of China,. was specified to be used for educational purposes; and Whereas it is deemed proper as a further act of friendship to remit the balance of said indemnity fund amounting to $6,137,552.90 " Not printed. "For previous correspondence concerning the remission of the Boxer Indemnity, see Foreign Relations, 1924, vol. 1, pp. 551 ff. Ibid., 1908, p. 65. 75289-40-67 in order further to develop the educational and other cultural activities of China: Now therefore be it 37 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President is hereby authorized, in his discretion, to remit to China as an act of friendship any or all further payments of the annual installments of the Chinese indemnity due under the bond received from China pursuant to the protocol of September 7, 1901, as modified by Executive order on the 28th day of December, 1908,38 pursuant to the authority of the joint resolution of Congress approved May 25, 1908, for indemnity against losses and expenses incurred by reason of the so-called Boxer disturbances in China during the year 1900, such remission to begin as from October 1, 1917, and to be at such times and in such manner as the President shall deem just."; and WHEREAS, the Minister of the Republic of China at Washington, to whom a copy of the said Joint Resolution was transmitted by the Secretary of State, informed the Secretary of State on June 14, 1924,9 that his Government proposed to devote the funds thus made available to educational and cultural purposes, paying especial attention to scientific requirements, and to entrust the administration of the funds to a Board which should be composed of Chinese and American citizens as members; and WHEREAS, the Minister of the Republic of China on September 16, 1924, forwarded to the Secretary of State a copy of the constitution of the Board 40 referred to in his communication of June 14, 1924, above mentioned, which Board, he stated, had been designated "The China Foundation for the Promotion of Education and Culture"; and WHEREAS, the Minister of the Republic of China on June 6, 1925, informed the Secretary of State 1 (1) that the Board of Trustees of the China Foundation for the Promotion of Education and Culture was a corporate body instituted by a Mandate of the President of the Republic of China on September 17, 1924, for the custody and control of the remitted indemnity funds; (2) that on June 3, 1925, the said Board had unanimously adopted a resolution reading textually as follows: "Resolved that the funds from the remitted portion of the indemnity due the United States to be intrusted to the China Foundation for the Promotion of Education and Culture be devoted to the development of scientific knowledge and to the application of such knowledge to the conditions in China through the promotion of technical training of scientific research, experimentation, and demonstration, and training in science teaching, and to the advance 37 Foreign Relations, 1901, appendix (Affairs in China), p. 312. 28 Ibid., 1908, p. 72. 30 Ibid., 1924, vol. 1, p. 555. 40 Not printed. Note of June 6, 1925, not printed. ment of cultural enterprises of a permanent character such as libraries and the like"; and (3) that, in order to carry out the intent of the Joint Resolution of Congress, the Board was ready to receive the remitted funds from the United States Government. Now, therefore, I, Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States of America, acting under and by virtue of the authority conferred upon me by the said Joint Resolution of Congress, do hereby make the following determination, order, rule and regulation: The Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized and directed to remit to the said Board of Trustees of the China Foundation for the Promotion of Education and Culture, as the agent designated by the Chinese Government to receive the same, all payments of the annual installments of the Chinese indemnity made subsequent to October 1, 1917, under the bond received from China pursuant to the protocol of September 7, 1901, as modified by Executive Order on the 28th day of December, 1908, pursuant to the authority of the Joint Resolution of Congress, approved May 25, 1908, together with such further payments as may be made from time to time under the said bond, the remission of the payments to be for the purpose of further developing the educational and other cultural activities of China. CALVIN COOLIDGE THE WHITE HOUSE, July 16, 1925. |