893.00/2987
The Consul at Canton (Pontius) to the Minister in China (Reinsch)14
Sir: For the information of the Legation, I have the honor to transmit herewith various interesting political and other items obtained from newspapers and other sources.
[Page 296]Shensi and Fukien Question
General Li Shun, Tuchun of Kiangsi [Kiangsu], who is acting as the peace mediator between the North and South, has telegraphed to the Canton Military Government suggesting that the following measures be adopted for the settlement of Shensi and Fukien disputes, which have long been a great obstacle to the Peace Conference:
- 1.
- That hostilities shall be actually stopped by both armies in Fukien, Shensi and West Hupeh.
- 2.
- That the expeditionary forces to Hupeh and Shensi shall stop further advance and be responsible for the suppression of bandits in the territories behind them, without increase in the strength of their respective armies.
- 3.
- That measures for the armistice in West Hupeh and South Shensi shall be mutually and directly fixed by the commanders of both armies themselves and same be submitted for registration after completion.
- 4.
- That popular officers shall be despatched to the interior of Shensi by the chief delegates of both sides to supervise the division of territories on the front line.
- 5.
- That after the territories have been defined each army shall be responsible for the suppression of bandits and the protection of inhabitants within its own lines. They shall on no account during the armistice attack each other’s lines.
The above five measures have been submitted and approved by the Peking Government after their transmission to Canton.15
On the receipt of the above telegram, the Administrative Council held a special meeting to discuss the matter and it was passed unanimously. A reply has now been sent to General Li Shun accepting all five suggestions.
. . . . . . .
China’s Peace Conference
China’s Peace Conference has now definitely been fixed to open its sessions at Shanghai on the 10th instant. Mr. Tang Shao-yi, the chief peace delegate for the South, has telegraphed to Canton urging the various other delegates to start for the North without further delay and requesting them to reach Shanghai before the opening of the conference. It is understood that the last of the delegates has left for Shanghai. A sum of $10,000 has been voted out of the salt surplus revenue to defray the travelling expenses of the peace delegation, and the Salt Commissioner has paid over the money to the Military Government.
. . . . . . .
I have [etc.]