Paris Peace Conf. 763.72115/3a: Telegram
The Commission to Negotiate Peace to the Acting Secretary of State
293. [From Lansing.] I have received a note from President Wilson34 enclosing a memorandum from the British Government intimating a desire on the part of the Allied Governments to repatriate all undesirable enemy subjects resident in China and asking the cooperation of the American Government in urging China to take action as proposed.
The memorandum reviews the proposals heretofore made for deportation to Australia of such enemy subjects, the reasons for abandoning that plan, the subsequent promise of the Chinese Government to intern the more dangerous enemy subjects and the failure successfully to carry out the arrangement.
The memorandum continues as follows:
[Here follows that portion of the memorandum printed on page 527, beginning with the second paragraph, fourth sentence, the phrase “at a meeting of the Allied Representatives”, and continuing to the end.]
The President states that he is quite willing to cooperate with the Allied Powers in the matter mentioned and asks the Department to do so in the proper way.
The British Government desires to have the measure applied to all enemy subjects without delay. Before indorsing Such sweeping action it would seem advisable to have the opinion of Minister Reinsch as to the probable effect. There are persons registered as subjects of Austria who may be in full sympathy with the Allies.
I suggest that the Department instruct Minister Reinsch to consult his colleagues of the Allied Governments and learn their views. He [Page 530] should then separately urge upon the Chinese Government the action desired unless he sees reason first to report to the Department and ask further instructions.35 Lansing.
- Ante, p. 526.↩
- See the report of the Minister in China for the quarter ending Mar. 31, 1919, Foreign Relations, 1919, vol. i, pp. 328, 332.↩