793.94/3449
Memorandum by the Under Secretary of State (Castle) of a Conversation With the Italian Ambassador (De Martino)
The Ambassador wanted to ask about Manchuria, whether the stories were true that the Secretary yesterday sent for the British and French Ambassadors to consult with them as to concerted action on the part of the three powers in Manchuria under the Nine Power Treaty. I told the Ambassador that I had no reason to think the Secretary had sent for either the British or French Ambassadors and that I did not know the subject of the conversation. He said that, if any concerted action was to be taken under the Nine Power Treaty, Italy wished to be included since it also was a signatory to the Treaty. I told him I could not conceive of action being taken under the Treaty without consultation with the various signatories and that, in any case, no concerted action with anyone was, so far as I knew, contemplated in Manchuria. I said that if the attack on the American Vice Consul8 was indicative of possible mistreatment of foreigners in general in Manchuria, it would undoubtedly be true that the various nations would all have to act and that it might be more effective if they acted in concert.
- For correspondence concerning the assault at Mukden upon Culver B. Chamberlain, Consul at Harbin, see vol. iv, pp. 728 ff.↩