793.94/4600: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Wilson), at Geneva
33. Your 54, March 5, 2 p.m., to 58, March 7, 2 p.m., inclusive, and my 28,58 29,59 and 30;60 also, most recent telephone conversations.
I feel as a practical matter that the actual agenda for the proposed conference will have to be worked out at Shanghai. I think it is highly important, however, that the representatives of the neutral powers who are to participate in the conference and in the preparation of the agenda should be clearly instructed as to the strict interpretation of the scope of the conference intended by the Assembly’s resolution as Johnson has been instructed as reported to you in my 29, March 5, 10 p.m. Johnson has already been authorized to participate in a conference on this basis in relation both to procedure and agenda.
In the meantime, I think our activities at Geneva should be confined to discreetly encouraging clarification and emphasis by the League and by member governments of views and positions coinciding with ours and to discouraging retreat from such views.
My general views stated in 23, February 26, 7:00 p.m., are unchanged.
I have been encouraged by the spirit shown by the Assembly and believe that prompt action along the lines of the Borah letter would have beneficial effect upon Shanghai Conference and may prevent [Page 526] any attempt, either by Japanese or other powers, to obtain at Shanghai permanent concessions at expense of Chinese.
A strong influence will inevitably develop among all foreigners in Shanghai, including Americans, to avail themselves of this opportunity to clear up long-standing petty grievances against the Chinese. We cannot afford to allow this to obscure the broad issues of treaty violation on which the Assembly’s course is running parallel to ours. For us or any other neutral to take advantage of the Japanese military occupation to seize such benefits would destroy the moral position now taken by the neutral world towards Japan. Prompt action seems to me the surest method by which such a deteriorating tendency can be prevented.