Who's Who in China (3rd edition)/Ku Wei-chun

Dr. Vi-kyuin Wellington Koo

顧維鈞字少用

(Ku Wei-chun)

Dr. Wellington Koo was born at Shanghai in 1887. From 1899 to 1900 he studied at the Anglo-Chinese College, Shanghai; at the Yu Tsai School from 1900 to 1901, and at the St. John's University from 1901 to 1904. While at the St. John's he was editor of the Dragon. Dr. Koo went to America in October 1904. He prepared for college at Cook Academy during 1904-1905. At Columbia University he studied Liberal Arts from 1905 to 1908 and Political Science from 1908 to 1912. He received the degree of A. B. in 1908; A. M. in 1909; and Ph. D. in 1912. While in America Dr. Koo was a member of the American Society of International Law and of the American Political Science Association. He was elected to the Nacoms, the Blue Pencil, and Delta Epsilon Rho societies in 1911. He was the recipient of the Philolescean Literary Prize, the Columbia-Cornell Debating Medal, and a member of the Varsity Debating Team, 1906-1907. He was editor of the Columbia Spectator; the Chinese Students' Monthly; the Chinese Students' Annual; and manager of the Columbia and the Columbia Monthly. He was always a very popular speaker in America. Dr. Koo returned to China in April 1912. He immediately joined the government as Secretary of the Cabinet and also of the President. In August 1912 he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a Secretary, and in October of the same year he was promoted to be a Councillor. He was connected with the Presidential Office and the Ministry until 1915. On July 11, 1915 Dr. Koo was appointed Chinese Minister to Mexico and was subsequently awarded the Second Class Chiaho Decoration. On October 25, 1915 he was transferred to be Chinese Minister to the United States and Cuba. Dr. Koo became a member of the Columbia Union Club in 1915 and of the Metropolitan Club in 1916. He was awarded the Honorary Degree of LL. D. by Yale University in 1916. In January 1919 Dr. Koo was appointed Chinese Delegate to the Paris Peace Conference. At the conference he was one of the chief advocates of refusing to sign the Treaty. In July 1919 he was appointed Chinese delegate to the International Labor Conference. In August 1920 Dr. Koo became Chief Chinese Delegate to the League of Nations. In September 1920 he was transferred to be Chinese Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of St. James. In December 1920 he was elected a member of the Administrative Council of the League of Nations. For some time he was its chairman. On the day when he was elected to that honorable seat, he was awarded by the Chinese government the Third Order of Merit. In October 1921 Dr. Koo was appointed one of the four Chinese Delegates to the Washington Conference. In November 1921 he was given the rank of Ambassador. In March 1922 Dr. Koo received the First Class Tashou Chiaho and also the First Class Wenfu. He returned to Peking in May 1922 on a visit to confer with the government on important diplomatic questions in consequence of the Washington Conference. In June 1922 Dr. Koo was appointed President of the Commission for the Discussion of National Financial Questions. In August 1922 he was appointed Acting Minister of Foreigin Affairs. In September 1922 he was relieved of the post of President of the Financial Commission. In October 1922 he was given the First Class Tashou Paokuang Chiaho. In November 1922 he was ordered to be concurrently the Chief of the Preparations Bureau for the Special Tariff Conference. In the same month he was relieved of the portfolio of Foreign Affairs. In April 1923 Dr. Koo was again appointed Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs. In January 1924 Mr. Sun Pao-chi became Prime Minister and Dr. Koo was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs. Dr. Koo served as Minister of Foreign Affairs, until October 1921, when he was forced to retire upon the defeat of the Chihli party by the Anfu-Fengtien faction, in the war which began in September 1924. Dr. Koo is at present residing in Tientsin.