793.94/6689: Telegram
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Bingham) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 18—1:20 p.m.]
265. Simon made statement in reply to questions in the House of Commons this afternoon, official text of which will be available tomorrow when I shall telegraph again if I deem necessary either correcting or amplifying American press reports which I understand are full. Following is brief summary of what press is cabling tonight.
Simon said he believed in friendship with Japan and recalled the principle of equal rights in China as guaranteed in the Nine-Power Treaty and Japan’s solemn assurance in this respect. Any doubt of Japanese good faith was, in his opinion, very unlikely to produce a [Page 186] friendly conclusion. “I think it is just as well that we should quite clearly understand it was not true that we or, as far as I know, anybody else had ever signed a treaty with China in which we had pledged ourselves to use all our forces to preserve the territorial integrity and political independence of China.”
Replying to the opposition that Great Britain embark on a policy of economic sanctions in an effort to forestall any war, Simon replied “Economic sanctions cannot be applied without the risk of war and we cannot undertake any system of sanctions or effective actions of this type unless the United States cooperates.”
While extensively praising the American aid to the League “which I hereby gratefully and publicly recognize” Simon said “The Commons must understand, however, the limitation under which the United States is likely to act.” He intimated that Great Britain is willing to participate in an international policy of sanctions in specific cases provided the United States as well as other nations interested formally agree; “Nevertheless it must be recognized that a policy of sanctions cannot be set up like a bottle of medicine for dosage when and where needed. It is a matter necessitating full review in each individual case and before action of any power of this nature all interested must formally agree.”
Simon reaffirmed at some length Great Britain’s desire to reach an agreement at Geneva on disarmament; said that Great Britain has already set the example for the reduction of armament and it is now up to the other nations to follow suit.
Complete text by pouch.19
- Not printed.↩