Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1938, The Far East, Volume III

793.94 Advisory Committee/139a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Consul at Geneva (Bucknell)

Washington, January 29, 1938—1 p.m.

6. The Chinese Ambassador⁵⁰ has just called and asked what our attitude would be toward a further Nine Power Treaty Conference. I told the Ambassador that the answer to this question was self-evident. I added, however, that of course if there should be called a duly constituted meeting of the parties to the Nine Power Treaty⁵¹ the American Government would attend and if, by way of illustration there should be called in a duly constituted way a meeting of the Advisory Committee, the American Government would follow its previous practice. I then emphasized to the Ambassador that the really important consideration in connection with matters of this sort was whether any useful purpose would be served by the calling of a conference or a meeting, and whether the interests of peace in general as well as the interests of China would be furthered. I said that the Ambassador knew the importance of those preliminary questions as well as I. I pointed out that assembling of conferences or committees with achievement of nothing definite or constructive serves only to harm the cause of peace. I referred to a press report from Geneva that various foreign governments contemplate approaching the American Government in regard to a proposal to extend credits to China for the purchase of arms and munitions. I said to the Ambassador that he knew the situation in this country in regard to a question of that sort and that I of course assumed that the representatives of any governments which might have presented to them for consideration any such plan would have knowledge and understanding of the situation here in this regard.

It is possible that the Chinese Ambassador here may cable a report of his conversation with me to the Chinese representative at Geneva and that as a result you may be approached by the representative of some government interested in the matter. In such event you should be guided by the foregoing and discreetly discourage any impression that this Government feels that any useful purpose would be served by a reconvening of the Brussels Conference at this time.

Please repeat to Harrison for his information; also repeat to the Embassies at London and Paris for their information.

Hull

50. C. T. Wang.
51. Signed at Washington, February 6, 1922, Foreign Relations, 1922, vol. i, p. 276.