CO129-382 - Public Offices - 1911 — Page 197

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Manchuria; (2) to their sudden and entire reversal of policy regarding the Russian railway settlement at Harbin, which reversal was adopted without in any way consulting the British Legation at Peking, with whom they had been previously co-operating; (3) to their action in the matter of the Hupuang loan negotiations; and (4) to their inconsiderate determination without consultation with His Majesty' Government to convene an opium conference at The Hague.

In my fifteen years' experience of the Far East I have found the Americans quite ready to change their policy if it suited them without in any way considering others. They are also past masters in the policy of extracting the chestnuts, or attempting to Cases of this kind occurred when I was in charge of the do so, by means of others. legation at Peking, and since I have been in Tokyo I can recall to mind three notable instances of this, and of change of policy to suit their own purposes quite regardless of those with whom they had been working

1. In 1901, at the time of the struggle with the Japanese over the perpetual lease question, it will be remembered that the Japanese Foreign Office declined to submit the matter to arbitration. In this they were strongly supported by the American Legation, who stated that the house tax was a reasonable one and a proper tax. Had it not been for the support received from the French and German Legations, and the fact that the Anglo-Japanese Alliance was on the tapis, the Japanese Government, owing to strong American support, would have maintained their contention and the As soon as the Japanese case would probably never have gone to arbitration. consented to arbitration the American Legation put in a statement to the effect that though they did not approve of the arbitration in principle, yet their subjects would, of course, benefit by any advantage which it might bring. This they have done in full measure, for American perpetual leaseholders are only second to us in number.

2. At the time of the negotiations for the regulation of emigration into Canada the American Embassy tried to obtain our support so as to acquire any advantages which we might get from the Japanese by virture of our somewhat special position as allies. This, however, did not succeed.

3. In the matter of the trade-marks convention, we were working on parallel lines when the American Government, without in any way consulting or informing us, suddenly gave up to the Japanese jurisdiction in the matter of trade-mark cases in Corea, thereby letting go, to suit their own ends elsewhere, one of the sheet-anchors of the "Trade-marks" ship, which, to continue the metaphor, has not yet, so far as we are concerned, been brought into port.

Other instances could be produced in my own experience, both here and in China, of this selfish policy on the part of the United States Government, but sufficient instances have, I think, been named to amply bear out your contention that America shows a "disregard of us which cannot be ignored when we find ourselves accused of similar offences.'

11

I have, &c.

CLAUDE M. MACDONALD.

1911

Foreign Office

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