893.102 Kulangsu/214: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 23—8 a.m.]
454. With reference to my telegram of July 23, 10 a.m. to Amoy20 I would like to say by way of comment generally upon situations Tientsin and Amoy that I am convinced the Japanese do not intend to accept less than they have demanded and that any compromise of positions of the United States and Great Britain at either or both of these places will have immediate effect not only upon our position at Shanghai but our position vis-à-vis the whole of China. I am convinced that the Japanese aim at nothing less than the elimination of our interests commercial as well as cultural and that in the end nothing will stop her in the accomplishment of her purpose short of the use of the argument of force which Japan is now using to achieve her ends. Naturally all China is watching and must be influenced by the way we meet these situations.
Repeated to Peiping and to Shanghai for repetition to Tokyo.
- Not printed.↩