793.94/1983: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
Peiping, October 5, 1931—10
a.m.
[Received 11:50 a.m.]
[Received 11:50 a.m.]
703. Following from Consul General at Nanking, October 4, 11 p.m., is a summary of statements made to him by Tai Chi-tao, chairman of Foreign Affairs Committee handling Sino-Japanese controversy:
“In a logical and convincing argument Tai Chi-tao demonstrated that:
- (1)
- Japanese military measures in Manchuria were culmination of long methodical planning by the military party to make a desperate effort to regain popular favor and retain authority by achieving spectacular gain for the Empire;
- (2)
- that this carefully fostered public opinion in Japan now supports the militaristic;
- (3)
- that the success of this policy will confirm present opinion in Japan;
- (4)
- that it is futile to expect that Japan will abandon this militaristic policy before October 14 or that China could enter into discussions with Japan, with the intention of surrendering everything;
- (5)
- that popular support in Japan is vital necessity for the continuance and success of the militaristic policy and;
- (6)
- that an explicit statement condemning Japan’s military measures in Manchuria as violating China’s moral and legal rights, if statement were issued by the League of Nations or by powerful countries like the United States and Great Britain, would destroy confidence felt in this policy by the Japanese people and thus cause its failure. Tai Chi-tao pointed out necessity of justifying faith of China’s thinking classes in international guarantees of justice, by [as?] loss of this faith will powerfully augment the trend toward communism and chaos in China.”
Johnson