793.94/3497
The Netherlands Legation to the Department of State
Note Verbale
The Netherland Minister has not failed to communicate to his Government the contents of the note remitted to him by the Secretary of State on January seventh which note was sent by the Department of State to the Republican Chinese and Imperial Japanese Governments.
In reply thereto the Netherland Minister has been instructed to present to the Secretary of State the thanks of the Netherland Government for that communication.
[Page 24]The Netherland Government shares the confidence expressed by the American Government that the neutral commission will facilitate the solution of the difficulties in Manchuria. The Netherland Government considers that it would be in the common interest of the whole world, which, shaken by the most severe and prolonged crisis, needs more than ever good international relations, if a friendly settlement between China and Japan were reached at an earliest possible date.
As far as principles are concerned, which have moved the American Government to address itself to China and Japan, it seems scarcely necessary to say, that they are a matter of the liveliest interest to the Netherland Government.
The United States Government has suggested that the latter might consider to take a similar action. The Netherland Government doubts whether this procedure would be expedient in the circumstances. The Chinese and Japanese Governments have replied to the American note and therefore their points of view have already been stated.21 Moreover the Netherlands as a member of the League of Nations must bear in mind that the Council of the League, in warmly welcomed cooperation with the United States, is doing its utmost and will doubtless continue to try to prevent unfavorable developments and to contribute to an acceptable solution of the difficulties.
- This sentence apparently deleted as erroneous in text published in the Netherlands.↩