Office of the Historian

793.94/2742: Telegram

The Chargé in France (Shaw) to the Secretary of State

[Paraphrase]
Paris, November 17, 1931—8 p.m.
[Received November 18—2:17 a.m.]

757. From Ambassador Dawes: Herewith I report in sequence my interviews.

The first to call was Sze. It is necessary to be guarded with him as he is evidently anxious to have our country disregard its attitude of strict impartiality, which of course must be maintained. For instance, he said that, if the United States asked it, he would insure his Government’s consent, for the purpose of stopping the fighting, that foreigners other than Japanese could head and control the local organizations of Chinese police for the protection of Japanese in Manchurian [Page 468] cities. Any such proposition as this, I told him, should be made by him not to me but to the League.

Drummond called at 3 p.m. He says the Council is extremely anxious for some sort of a proposition from Japan and has urged the Japanese to make one. As Simon talks freely with Drummond, we discussed somewhat Simon’s tentative suggestions which I telegraphed you in my 750, November 16, 11 p.m.

Matsudaira at 4 p.m. brought me a memorandum of a proposition the Japanese delegation had discussed as something which might be authorized by their Government and which reads as follows:42

  • “1. The Japanese and Chinese Governments shall enter into conversations with a view to reaching an agreement to constitute the bases of security of Japanese subjects in Manchuria (five fundamental principles).
  • 2. The first point being admitted, the nomination of a commission to be made up of X members to be sent to China (China proper and Manchuria) by the League of Nations and entrusted with the making of investigations into such questions as anti-Japanese agitations, etc., with a view to placing the Council in a position to deliberate on the basis of complete information.
  • 3. The Council shall be kept informed of the progress of the above-mentioned negotiations.”

The foregoing is purely tentative. However, the Japanese delegation has cabled it to their Government for its comment. In the opinion of Matsudaira, in paragraph 1 it is in line with the suggestion of procedure from you which I communicated to him and Simon in London. This evening Matsudaira will take it to Simon and state to him, as he has to us, that the memorandum is purely tentative and has been wired to his Government for its comment.

I inquired of Matsudaira concerning the idea of Simon’s memorandum, a criticism of which I sent you yesterday in my No. 750. I believe I can say that it impressed Matsudaira, for he did not offer any objection to it in principle. He is cabling it to Tokyo, as I did to you, to await comment.

The more I consider the situation, the larger the Nine-Power Treaty looms in it. Nearly every proposition under discussion in Paris upon which agreement is being sought will need the consideration of each power which signed the treaty. It would appear quite probable that article 7 thereof must be invoked eventually before any really constructive and permanent solution of this situation can be reached and whether or not the League succeeds or fails temporarily in its present effort. It is of course unwise for me at this time to discuss this subject here, but your comments would be appreciated as a guide. [Dawes.]

Shaw
  1. Quotation not paraphrased.↩