793.94/9672: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
168. Your 312, August 25, 1 p.m. In course of a lengthy conversation yesterday afternoon British Ambassador stated to Hornbeck that his Foreign Office still felt that there was some hope for the effecting of an arrangement for “neutralization” of Shanghai. There followed references by Hornbeck to the origin of and attitudes adopted toward a “neutralization of Shanghai” suggestion in 1932.
This morning Department has received from Shanghai information regarding a statement made yesterday by Admiral Hasegawa to Reuters at Shanghai and confirmed by Japanese Consul General there in course of which Hasegawa is quoted as saying “with the situation aggravated by Chinese to such an extent as it is, we deem it important that a safety zone should be established in and around Shanghai.”
To the Department, it is clear that British and French are confusing two entirely different concepts. For your strictly confidential information, the Department does not look with favor upon either of these concepts insofar as it understands the connotation of the terms in which they have hitherto, in current connections, been mentioned. Recollecting various “plans” which were suggested from various sources in 1932, Department desires that, if and when anything further is said to you in mention of suggestions or proposals relating to Shanghai, you endeavor to draw out the propounder but be yourself completely non-committal and report at once to the Department.