793.94/5149: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received (May 3)—4:12 p.m.]
My May 1, 4 p.m.
- 1.
- This evening late, Okazaki,
Secretary of Japanese Legation came to Sir Miles to say that the Japanese delegation had
received instructions to make a statement in following terms at
moment of signing of agreement:
“The Chinese delegate states in his note addressed to the representatives of the participating friendly powers that the Chinese side reserve the right to despatch troops when necessary for the maintenance of order. I understand that such despatch of troops is to be carried on after the approval of the Joint Commission will have been obtained. It is desired that this understanding be placed on record in the minutes.”
- 2.
- Okazaki asked Sir Miles whether he thought this statement would be acceptable to the Chinese Government. Sir Miles stated that he thought it would blow up the whole arrangement as such had not been the understanding.
- 3.
- Sir Miles offered the
following as an alternative for the last two sentences]:
“In the event of any such troop movement, as contemplated above, appearing to the Japanese side as having hostile intentions, the Japanese authorities understand that they have the right to call attention of the representatives of the participating friendly powers members of the Joint Commission thereto under article 1.”
- 4.
- Sir Miles has repeated all of the above to the British Ambassador in Tokyo asking him to go to Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs and try to persuade him to have proposal dropped and his alternative used, if any.
- 5.
- I hope that the Department can find it possible to instruct Tokyo to ask British Ambassador to show it his telegram from Lampson and to join British Ambassador in representations at the Foreign Office.
Repeated to Tokyo.