Office of the Historian

893.51/2293: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in China (Reinsch)

Washington, July 3, 1919, 9 p.m.

Your July 2, noon. The statement of the Department to the Chinese Chargé was based upon a personal conference with the American Group and was known to represent their attitude, which has since been formally confirmed. The bankers are unwilling to make any definite commitment until the new consortium is completed.

An assurance that financial assistance would be forthcoming when the conditions were met has been outstanding since November last. (See Department’s November 16, 6 p.m.36) The Department has made it clear in subsequent instructions that, so far as this Government is concerned, this assistance must be rendered through the American Group as a member of the consortium. (See Department’s January 4, 2 p.m.37)

Phillips
  1. Foreign Relations, 1918, p. 120.↩
  2. Ante, 421.↩