707.1161/25: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in China (Mayer)
89. Your 172, April 25, 11 a.m. The following telegram, August 28, 1924, to the Legation at Helsingfors is quoted for your guidance with regard to your relations with Karakhan:
“There should be no difficulty in informal and courteous relations, as between two gentlemen, with respect to the representative at the capital to which you are accredited, of a régime not recognized by this Government. I had no difficulty when I attended the celebration of the Centenary of Brazilian Independence at Rio de Janeiro in 1922 in meeting and having cordial relations with the representative of Mexico, although this Government had not recognized the Mexican Government. Of course such personal and private relations largely depend on the character and bearing of others, but ordinary courtesies of a personal nature need never embarrass this Government in maintaining its attitude of non-recognition. Hughes”
See also Department’s circular telegram August 27, 1 p.m.65
The fact that we have not recognized the Moscow regime should cause you no embarrassment in your social relations with the members of the diplomatic corps in Peking. While you should avoid entering into any relations with Karakhan of an official character, this should not be interpreted as precluding those purely social and unofficial relationships which tend to arise out of association in the diplomatic corps and the special position of Karakhan in that body. You should receive Karakhan informally if he should call on you, and in return for his call or for his card should send your official card, writing on it “The Dean of the Diplomatic Body” in order to avoid any possibility of its being made to appear that you are entering into relations with him officially in his capacity as representing the Soviet Regime. In the course of any subsequent social relations with him you should make use of your personal card.
Repeat to Tokyo as #53 for information.
- See telegram No. 18, Aug. 26, 1924, to the Chargé in Finland, and footnote 1, Foreign Relations, 1924, vol. ii, p. 676.↩