861.77 Chinese Eastern/536: Circular telegram
The Secretary of State to Certain Diplomatic Representatives45
1. I desire that you call immediately upon the Minister for Foreign Affairs, or whatever officer is in charge of the Foreign Office in his absence, and make orally a statement substantially as follows: The American Government has been engaged in discussions with the Governments of several of the other Powers signatory to the Pact of Paris in regard to the situation in Manchuria. During the past few days organized Russian forces have been in conflict with organized Chinese forces near Dalainor in Northern Manchuria. It is credibly reported that many casualties occurred and that thousands of the inhabitants [Page 372] of the neighboring towns have been driven from their homes. Although the causes of the conflict are in dispute and the accounts are somewhat contradictory, it is clear that serious encounters between military forces of China and Russia have occurred. It is also clear that during the months since this controversy began no effective steps have been taken by the Chinese and Russian Governments looking toward an arbitration of the dispute or its settlement through neutral conciliation or other pacific means. The efficacy of the Pact of Paris depends upon the sincerity of the Governments which are party to it. Its sole sanction lies in the power of public opinion of the countries, constituting substantially the entire civilized world, whose governments have joined in the Covenant. If the recent events in Manchuria are allowed to pass without notice or protest by any of these Governments the intelligent strength of the public opinion of the world in support of peace cannot but be impaired.
We have found in our discussions referred to above a community of view with regard to the fundamental principles. There has been in these discussions no suggestion of intervention of any kind. Discussions have been directed to discovering the best means of expressing the opinion of each of the nations by way of remonstrating against the use of force by either side in this controversy.
2. The Government of the United States on its part has communicated to China and to Russia a statement as follows:
“The Government and people of the United States have observed with apprehensive concern the course of events in relations between China and Russia in the phase which has developed in reference to the situation in Northern Manchuria since July 10.
On July 18 this Government took steps, through conversations between the Secretary of State and the diplomatic representatives at Washington of five Powers, to see that the attention of the Chinese and the Russian Governments be called to the provisions of the Treaty for the Renunciation of War, to which both China and Russia were signatories. Both the Russian and the Chinese governments then made formal and public assurances that neither would resort to war unless attacked. Since that time that Treaty has been ratified by no less than fifty-five Powers, including China and Russia.
The American Government desires again to call attention to the provisions of the Treaty for the Renunciation of War, particularly to Article II, which reads, ‘The High Contracting Parties agree that the settlement or solution of all disputes or conflicts of whatever nature or of whatever origin they may be, which may arise among them, shall never be sought except by pacific means’; and the American Government takes occasion to express its earnest hope that China and Russia will refrain or desist from measures of hostility and will find it possible in the near future to come to an agreement between themselves upon a method for resolving by peaceful means the issues over which they are at present in controversy. The American Government feels that the respect with which China and Russia will [Page 373] hereafter be held in the good opinion of the world will necessarily in great measure depend upon the way in which they carry out these most sacred promises.”
3. It is desired that in presenting the above communication you lay urgent stress upon the importance at this moment to the world movement toward peace that the Powers that have so unreservedly joined in the Covenant of the Pact of Paris record themselves publicly and to the two Powers so unhappily embroiled as condemning a recourse to arms for the solution of this controversy and as believing that a solution should be reached by pacific means. You will conclude by expressing this Government’s earnest hope that the Government to which you are accredited will find it possible as a party to the Pact of Paris to participate in this action by issuing on its part a statement along lines similar to that quoted above and at the same time communicating its views to the Governments of China and Russia. I am addressing communications in this sense to the Governments of all of the countries party to the Pact, and I am informing the press with regard to the statement addressed by the American Government to China and to Russia and with regard to this circular communication.
In Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, the Free City of Danzig, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, the Irish Free State, Latvia, Liberia, Mexico, The Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Persia, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Rumania, Siam, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Venezuela, and Yugoslavia.
The circular telegram was also sent December 1, 6 p.m., to the diplomatic representatives in Germany (No. 95), Italy (No. 79), and Japan (No. 123); Great Britain (No. 321), with a request to relay it to Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and India; France (No. 395), with a request to relay it to Afghanistan, and (No. 396, 7 p.m.), with request that Belgium, Denmark, and Latvia respectively be requested to relay it to Luxemburg, Iceland, Estonia, and Lithuania (861.77 Chinese Eastern/524, 530, 532, 535).
On December 2, 1929, 4 p.m., the Legation in Poland (No. 68) and the Consul in the Free City of Danzig were instructed that the former should relay the circular telegram to Poland and, through Poland, to the Free City of Danzig (861.77 Chinese Eastern/556, 557).
↩