793.94/2157
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs (Hornbeck)
The Chinese Chargé called at the request of the Secretary.
The Secretary stated that he wished to talk with the Chargé with regard to the Manchuria situation. He said that he had wanted to talk with the Chargé at intervals since this situation began to develop, that he had regretted having been called away from the conversation begun when the Chargé called on him a few days ago, that he had been kept constantly and fully informed by Mr. Hornbeck with regard to matters discussed in the course of the Chargé’s conversations with officers of the Far Eastern Division and Mr. Castle. [Page 138] and that he wanted at all times to be kept informed as fully as possible with regard to matters which the Chargé might wish to bring to his attention and with regard to the situation in general. He said that he had found that he would have a period free this morning and had immediately asked that the Chargé be asked to call on him.
The Chargé said that he greatly appreciated being sent for.
The Secretary said that he wanted to explain his thought and the course of action which he was following with regard to the Manchuria problem. He said that it was a delicate and difficult problem. First of all, he wished to refer to a request which the Chinese Government had made that the American Government send observers to Manchuria. The Chinese Government had informed us that they were asking the principal governments which were members of the League to send observers and that they hoped that we as signatories to the Kellogg Pact would do likewise. It had happened that we had already felt the: imperative need of having more complete and accurate information than had yet reached us with regard to the facts in Manchuria, and we had arranged to send two observers, a Secretary from our Tokyo Embassy and the Consul General from Harbin. We had informed the Japanese and Chinese Governments. The observers are already in Manchuria.
The Chargé asked whether we had received any reports. The Secretary said that reports had not yet reached us.
The Secretary gave the Chargé a copy of the reply which we had instructed the American Minister to make to the Chinese Government on the subject of observers.
The Secretary then said that it had been fortunate that at the time when the present trouble began the Council of the League was in session. The League has a Covenant in which provision is made in detail for meeting a situation of this sort. The League had acted promptly and had succeeded in agreeing unanimously on the Resolution of September 30. The American Government had been acting while the League was acting and on parallel lines. We had been gratified at the success of the League in adopting the Resolution. In the Resolution the Japanese Government made commitments and so did the Chinese Government. The League expected the two governments to live up to these commitments. So did the American Government. We have been urging upon the two governments the necessity of making every effort possible toward that end.
The Chargé voiced a suspicion that the Japanese would not live up to their commitment.
The Secretary said that it was better in international relations to proceed on the assumption that a government will keep its pledges than on the suspicion that it will not. He went on to say that we [Page 139] were looking to both governments to make every possible effort. He had observed that the Chinese Government seemed also to be suspicious with regard to our attitude. He wanted to assure the Chinese Government that we are proceeding along those lines which we think will best contribute to the keeping of the peace. We have not attempted to go into the question of right and wrong in the dispute; for the moment we are concerned with the question of peace.
The Chargé said that the matter was one of vital concern to the Chinese.
The Secretary said that it was of concern to the whole world. He said that we are not taking sides, that we are working to prevent conflict, that we will be equally opposed to any party that makes trouble, and that we are “playing no favorites”. He said that the situation calls for calmness and self-restraint, even repression. The public is agitated in China and the public is agitated in Japan. The governments must try to keep their people in control. Action that is likely to give provocation should be avoided.
The Chargé thanked the Secretary for calling him in and thus clearly outlining this Government’s attitude and course of action.
The Secretary said that he hoped that the Chargé would come to us at any time and he would make it a point to find time to receive him whenever the Chargé felt that it was necessary.
With that, the conversation ended.