861.77/660

The Chinese Legation to the Department of State

[The following translation of a telegram from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Chinese Chargé was left at the Department by the Chargé, February 4, 1919.]

The Chinese Government hereby proposes a plan for the complete control and reorganization of the Chinese Eastern Railway.

It is proposed to appoint, in addition to the Director General, one General Manager for the Railway with executive powers and reorganize all the important Departments by putting foreign engineers now employed by the various Chinese Railways in charge, retaining as many as possible of the American engineers employed by the previous Russian Government and also those employees who are Russians.

The object of this plan is to maintain the sovereign rights of China and at the same time to render the Railway efficient, in accordance with the American plan.