793.94/2735a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in France (Shaw)
[Paraphrase40]
Washington, November 17, 1931—7
p.m.
559. For Ambassador Dawes:
- (1)
- On November 17 the New York Herald-Tribune carried an article, dated Washington, November 16, which stated “it was learned tonight on high official authority” that “At no time in the negotiations … was [Katsuji Debuchi,] the Japanese Ambassador left without confidence that the American Government would refuse to follow the League of Nations either in a proposed economic boycott of Japanese exports, withdrawal of world diplomatic representatives from Tokio or insistence upon the withdrawal of Japanese troops from occupied Manchurian territory by today.”
- (2)
- No statement nor commitment has been made by the Department regarding its attitude in connection with a boycott of Japanese [Page 467] exports or the withdrawal from Tokyo of diplomatic representatives. You are informed fully of the Department’s attitude regarding the withdrawal of Japanese troops.
- (3)
- The same article has the following subheading: “Utmost Support Pledged to Geneva Disavowed by State Department in Conferences With Debuchi.” There is, as you are aware, no basis for such a statement.
Stimson
- Quotations not paraphrased.↩