893.102 Tientsin/310
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs (Hamilton)
Mr. Frederick Moore telephoned. He said that he had been disturbed by statements which had appeared in the press to the effect that it was the impression in some British governmental circles and of the Chinese Ambassador to the United States that the Japanese were bluffing in regard to the situation at Tientsin. Mr. Moore said that he had telephoned without consulting anyone at the Japanese Embassy. (Note: Mr. Moore is a former American newspaper man in the employ of the Japanese Embassy.) Mr. Moore continued that he was convinced that the Japanese are not bluffing and that they are going to put the matter through. He said that in the most difficult situation which has, in his judgment, yet arisen, he thought it would be a mistake if the Department of State should think that the Japanese were bluffing. He said that he of course did not know what the thought of the State Department was in regard to this matter and that he had telephoned merely to put before us this statement of his considered opinion.
Note: A few minutes after Mr. Moore telephoned, General Burnett of the War Department telephoned and told me that Mr. Moore had telephoned him and had made to him substantially the same statement.76
- Mr. Moore also telephoned the Chief of the Division of Controls (Green) to similar effect.↩