793.94/4015
Memorandum by the Under Secretary of State (Castle) of a Conversation With the Counselor of the French Embassy (Henry)
In the absence of the Ambassador M. Henry came in to read me certain telegrams concerning French action in Japan with regard to Shanghai. These telegrams pointed out that the British Ambassador in Paris had asked the French Government to cooperate with the British Government in bringing strong representations to bear in Tokyo concerning the situation in Shanghai, particularly as it might affect the International Settlement. Twice the French Government instructed its Ambassador in Tokyo to make such representations which had to do, of course, with the French Concession which adjoins the International Settlement. M. Henry said that his Government was keenly alive to [the fact that] whatever affected the Settlement would also affect the French Concession.
He then read me a telegram in answer to one which he had sent pointing out to the French Government that there was a strong press campaign in the United States, particularly pressed by the Hearst newspapers, asserting that France was not cooperating with the other nations in China for the reason that it had an understanding with the Japanese. The answer to this telegram instructed the Embassy to deny categorically any such assertions; the French Government stated that it was just as “absurd” to say that the French had any understanding with Japan with regard to Manchuria or China in general as it was to say that France had an agreement with Japan to block the proceedings in Geneva at the Disarmament Conference. The French Government categorically denied both these allegations.
The Secretary came in to my office and M. Henry read him parts of these telegrams, stating that he or the Ambassador would bring in [Page 158] during the afternoon a written memorandum covering some of these points.