File No. 893.00/689a.

The Secretary of State to the German Ambassador.

The Department of State has received no information which would lead it to question the wisdom of the decision reached at the Paris conference of the financial groups on November 8, 1911, to the effect that “in view of the present uncertainty of the situation the groups are not disposed at present to entertain applications for financial assistance”; and further, that “it is to be distinctly understood that we are not in any sense opposed to making loans to a responsible Chinese government and will be prepared to enter upon negotiations as soon as our representatives in Peking are able to assure us that they are satisfied as to this point.”

Should extraordinary necessities make it advisable to assist China with funds to meet its international obligations and to perform the ordinary administrative and police functions of government, the Department of State believes that such assistance should be in connection with some general plan by all the interested powers for the protection of the common interests in China.

While entertaining the above views the Department of State would welcome any further expression of opinion from the Imperial German Government, based upon the information it may have received.