793.94/1958: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Consul at Geneva (Gilbert)
64. Your 150, October 1, 9 a.m., and 151, October 1, 10 a.m. I am much gratified over the Council’s success in having obtained the consent of its resolution of September 30 from both the Chinese and Japanese Governments, over the Japanese Government’s commitment to withdraw its troops into the South Manchuria Railway zone, and over the Chinese Government’s commitment to protect Japanese nationals thereafter. I desire Drummond to be told confidentially that I am working daily on this matter; that I am urging the Governments of both China and Japan to assert themselves to the utmost in order that a recrudescence of armed encounters be avoided; and that I have urged the Japanese to withdraw their forces immediately into the railway zone. I shall urge upon both China and Japan the necessity of carrying out the commitments in good faith as expressed in the Council’s resolution.
I believe that American cooperation in handling this difficult matter hereafter should be along the course followed ever since the League [Page 117] Assembly and Council were found in session, fortunately, upon the first outbreak of the Manchurian trouble. This matter has been deliberated long and earnestly by the Council, and well-tried machinery is provided by the Covenant of the League of Nations to handle such issues. Before the Council there have been presented and argued both the Chinese and Japanese cases, and published accounts have informed the world with regard to the proceedings of the League. Conclusions have been formulated and a course of action for the disputants to follow has been outlined by the Council; and it is most desirable, since commitments have been made by the said disputants to the Council, that the League shall in no way relax its vigilance nor fail to assert all the authority and pressure within its competence in order to regulate Chinese and Japanese action in the premises.
This Government, acting independently through its representatives abroad, will on its part endeavor to reinforce League action and will make clear that the American Government’s interest in the matter has not been lost and that this Government is not oblivious to the obligations assumed by the disputants to their fellow signatories in the Kellogg-Briand Pact as well as in the Washington Nine-Power Treaty should a time arise when the bringing forward of these obligations would appear advisable. By this course the United States avoids any danger of encouragement to either disputant to attempt playing off American action against League action or vice versa.
Drummond has already been informed that my own special representatives are present in the disturbed area, and I shall gladly comply with his suggestion that this Government forward to him any pertinent information which it may be able to make available for the purpose.
I think Drummond’s other inquiries will have been answered by what I have said already. This Government will endeavor to cooperate as much as possible, at the same time trying to avoid giving him and the League any embarrassment in the task they have undertaken.