500.A15A5/75: Telegram
The Chairman of the American Delegation (Davis) to the Secretary of State
Geneva, June
2, 1934—2 a.m.
[Received June 2—12:44 a.m.]
[Received June 2—12:44 a.m.]
863. My 862, June 2, 1 a.m.57
- 1.
- In a second talk with Simon this afternoon he said that he hoped I could come to London soon to start the naval conversations and wanted to know when I would be there. I told him we could not well begin before the middle of the month because our naval experts could not sail until June 6th.
- 2.
- As this seemed an opportune moment I asked if he had any particular ideas in his mind with regard to the proposed conversations. He replied that while he had little to do with the matter himself it was his understanding that since the Japanese experts would not arrive very soon the British and Americans would first clear up all questions between themselves which should not be difficult. They would then be prepared to take the matter up with the Japanese.
- 3.
- I then remarked that aside from discussing technical naval questions as between ourselves there remained the question of determining what our attitude should be with regard to an increase in the Japanese ratio. As to this he said that he had recently told Matsudaira frankly that he had been somewhat disturbed about what he had read in the press with regard to Japanese pretensions and claims for an increase in ratio but that he had had no intimations from the Japanese Government that it was making any claims and that he would like to know if the Japanese were making such claims officially as that would be a serious matter. Matsudaira had then cabled home and subsequently reported to him that the Japanese Government had not made any such claims. I told Simon I was glad to know that and that I judged by this that the British Government was still opposed to any increase in the Japanese ratio; which was reassuring because it had been somewhat disturbing to read speeches like that of Admiral Keyes and to learn of statements by certain of the British naval officers advocating a close community of interest between England and Japan in naval matters or the granting of parity to Japan. Simon then said that Admiral Keyes was retired and a member of Parliament; that neither the Government nor the Admiralty had any control over him but that he could not believe that any naval officer on the active list could take such a position because it was positively not the attitude of either the Government or the Admiralty; that Great Britain has more seas to cover than Japan and that parity with Japan would be absurd.
Davis