793.94Commission/325: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:35 a.m.]
953. Following is translation of a document in the French language handed in identic copies to be given Commissioner[s] of the League of Nations Commission by the Japanese Assessor. Document unsigned but represented to be Debuchi’s account of what the Secretary said to him.
“I understand perfectly that Japan has special and vital relations with Manchuria and as a consequence I faithfully respect the rights and interests of Japan in that region; and I certainly have no ambition to make America a rival of Japan in Manchuria. However, as I firmly intend to be faithful to the spirit of both the Kellogg Pact and the Nine-Power Treaty, I find myself obliged to say things which sometimes may not be very agreeable to your country; I hope that you will understand this. Moreover, my last speech was simply in explanation [Page 101] of the happenings affecting the fundamental spirit and the application of the Kellogg Pact: I did not intend to make use of the occasion to attack Japan. Consequently I was particularly careful about using the word ‘aggressor’ which I am told has been so severely criticised in Tokyo. I especially preceded it with the indefinite article in order that I might express myself in the abstract.”