493.11/2081: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Counselor of Embassy in China (Lockhart), at Peiping
14. Your 862, December 31, 5 p.m. Although the Department has consistently refrained from interfering with the performance of the legitimate functions of the China Foundation as set forth in its constitution, the Department has effectively objected to the attempted disregard by the Nationalist Government of China of an important provision of the constitution by the arbitrary appointment and dismissal of members of the Board of Trustees. It would, therefore, seem that the Department could not properly ignore any attempted violation of the Foundation’s constitution by an unrecognized regime in China. (See Department’s 114, April 1, 1929, 6 p.m., and previous.)13
The Department concurs in the view expressed by you that this Government would not be disposed to associate itself with any scheme for the reorganization of Tsinghua University.
Please keep the Department informed of further developments.
- Not printed.↩