693.001/386: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 9—12:25 p.m.]
716. Our 714, November 8, 6 p.m.26 The simultaneous appearance this morning in all papers of forecasts running along substantially similar lines of the contents of the forthcoming Japanese reply to our note of October 6 strongly suggests that these reports originate from a common and probably authoritative source. They anticipate that the Japanese reply will say that the principles of the Open Door and equality of opportunity were originally intended to be applicable only in the economic field and therefore may not serve as a basis for intervention by the Western Powers in political relations between Japan and China; that Japan has made secure its political paramountcy in the Far East and is setting up a new political structure through close association of late with Manchukuo and China; and that “recognition” by any other interested power of these two new developments must be a condition precedent to fulfillment of Japanese assurances with regard to the extension of the above mentioned principles to the economic interests in China of that principle.
Repeated to Chungking.
- Not printed.↩