793.94/4659: Telegram
The Minister in Switzerland (Wilson) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 9—8:55 p.m.]
68. In conversation today with Simon I mentioned the fact reported by Johnson conveyed to me in paragraph A of your 36, March 8, [Page 546] 1 p.m.,74 to the effect that the British Minister had received no instructions concerning negotiations at Shanghai. Simon stated that he had sent a copy of the Assembly’s resolution March 4 and that since this had been concurred in by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Great Britain he had assumed that this was sufficient authorization. He stated that he would be glad to furnish Lampson at once with more specific instructions and asked the nature of the instructions which you had sent to Johnson in order that his might be drafted along similar lines. I conveyed to him the tenor of the instructions you had given Johnson as furnished me in the nonconfidential part of your 29, March 5, 10 p.m.,75 and he has informed me that instructions will be sent to Shanghai this evening.
At a meeting of the Assembly Bureau this afternoon, at which were also present representatives of all states who had submitted resolutions to the General Commission, a text of a resolution was tentatively agreed upon of which the final paragraph reads as follows:
“Pending the decisions which it may ultimately take for the settlement of the dispute which has been submitted to it;
“Reaffirms the binding nature of the principles and provisions referred to above and declares that it is incumbent upon the members of the League of Nations not to recognize any situation, treaty or agreement which may be brought about by means contrary to the Covenant of the League of Nations or to the Pact of Paris.”
This text will come before the Bureau again for final consideration but debate is anticipated more on the early paragraphs which contain the premises than on the final resolution itself. Inasmuch as all members present agreed to hold this matter confidential for the time being I request that you be good enough to so regard it.
- Telegram No. 36 not printed; see telegram dated March 7, 8 p.m., from the Minister in China, p. 526.↩
- Telegram No. 29 not printed; see Department’s telegram No. 77, March 5, 9 p.m., Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. i, p. 209.↩