793.94/9831
Memorandum by the Adviser on Political Relations (Hornbeck)
The Chinese Ambassador called today at 11:30 on his own initiative.
There were exchanged some observations with regard to the military situation in China.
The Ambassador said that, referring to an earlier conversation, he had received from the Chinese Ambassador in London information that Dr. Quo had had a further conversation with the British Minister for Foreign Affairs. Mr. Eden had stated that the British Government was prepared to support any course of action (in regard to the Nine Power Treaty?) which the American Government might choose to embark upon. The Secretary inquired whether the Ambassador thought that any course of action not involving force would be effective. The Ambassador replied that he thought that for effectiveness force would be essential. The Secretary inquired whether the Ambassador could state what naval forces the British Government had in Far Eastern waters. The Ambassador replied to the effect that he did not [know?] but that he did not think that they had a very strong force.
In the course of the conversation, the Ambassador stated that the Chinese Government and the Soviet Government had entered into a non-aggression pact.78
The Secretary pointed out that the American Government had done more than any other government by way of expressing views, voicing principles applicable to the Chinese-Japanese situation and urging that hostilities be avoided and peace be kept.
- Signed at Nanking, August 21, 1937, League of Nations Treaty Series, vol. clxxxi, p. 101.↩