File No. 893.00/2755
Minister Reinsch to the Secretary of State
Peking, December 17, 1917.
Sir: I have the honor to enclose herewith despatches Numbers 49, 50 and 52, from the Consulate General at Canton,4 covering the period from November 2 to December 4, and reporting on the development of the political situation there. On December 13, the Consul General telegraphed the following information:
The acting Military Governor, Mo, had assured the Consul General that General Lu Yung-ting would resume complete allegiance to the Central Government on condition, as a sine qua non, that the dissolved Parliament should be reconvoked and the provisional Constitution observed until the promulgation of the permanent Constitution. From this it is apparent that General Lu Yung-ting and the progressive parliamentary leaders at Canton, who have now been joined by Dr. Wu Ting-fang, have come together, and that General Lu is therefore emphasizing the reconvocation of the old Parliament as an essential condition of peace. The punishment of the leaders who caused the dissolution of Parliament was also mentioned, but it was stated that only such punishment was desired as would discourage similar action in the future. It was suggested that all other differences could be placed in the hands of a peace commission.
The Consul General at Canton reports that Dr. Wu Ting-fang and other progressive leaders have intimated to him that in case of arbitration, the American Minister, representing the President of the United States, would be acceptable to them as mediator. The suggestion has been made in the North China Daily News (British) that mediation affords the only practical solution between the North and South, and that mediation by the British and American Ministers is desirable. These suggestions, as reported by the Consul General at Shanghai, in his despatches Nos. 1612 and 1646,4 are herewith forwarded. It goes without saying, that neither the British Minister nor myself have given any consideration to this matter, as we have not been officially approached.
I am [etc.]