861.77 Chinese Eastern/462
Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State (Johnson)
The Chinese Minister called upon the Secretary today and in conversation stated that the Russians made a further attack upon the Chinese frontier at Manchuli and at Dailainor.11a He said that they had counted as many as 27 aeroplanes in the raid and that nearly 30,000 Russian troops and a large number of tanks had invaded Chinese soil. He said that China intended to lay the matter before the League as there was an article in the League Covenant under which they could do this. The Secretary asked whether Russia was a member of the League and the Minister said that he thought not, but a provision of the Covenant provided for that. The Chinese Minister asked whether as sponsors for the Kellogg Treaty the United States intended to do anything about it. The Secretary replied that he thought the United States had done everything it could do in the matter; that we had called to the attention of the Chinese and the Russians their obligations under the Kellogg Pact and both had announced their pacific intentions. He reminded the Chinese Minister that in conversation with him he had suggested to him the advisability of setting up a commission voluntarily by the Russians and the Chinese without dictation from the other Powers for the purpose of investigating the facts and for the reestablishment of the status quo. The Secretary stated also that he felt that the Chinese were in their present predicament because they had very unwisely, it seemed to him, refused to accept the settlement proposed by the Russians, insisting upon the only difference between the two, apparently over the question as to whether the new Russian manager should be appointed before or after the discussions or investigations began. And now the Russians were refusing to negotiate and apparently were exerting pressure while waiting upon the course of events in China.
- Presumably Chalainor.↩