793.94/10041: Telegram The Consul at Geneva (Bucknell) to the Secretary of State GENEVA, September 12, 1937-8 p. m. [Received September 12-3: 50 p. m.] 285. Consulate's 284, September 12, 5 p. m. Hoo informs me in confidence that China will send two notes to the Secretary General of the League tonight or tomorrow morning. One will be an appeal to the Council under articles 10, 11 and 17. The second note will be a supplementary statement bringing up to date the recital of events set forth in the Chinese note of August 30th, see my 262, August 30, 9 p. m. This note will also contain a request that it be communicated to the Advisory Committee. BUCKNELL 793.94/10054 : Telegram The Consul at Geneva (Bucknell) to the Secretary of State GENEVA, September 13, 1937-9 p.m. [Received September 13-8 p. m.] 292. Consulate's 285, September 12, 8 p. m. The Chinese notes were received by the Secretariat today. 1. The appeal to the Council after a brief introduction states: "For the facts of the case I beg leave to refer to the statements which the Chinese Government has communicated on August 30 and September 12, 1937, to the [Council?] for the information of the members of the League and the Advisory Committee set up under a resolution of the Assembly of February 24, 1933, adopted in virtue of paragraph 3, article 3 of the Covenant. In view of Japan's present relation to the League and her action in China, the Chinese Government holds, without prejudice to the continuing validity and binding effect of all the decisions hitherto taken by the Assembly and Council in the Sino-Japanese conflict, that article 17 of the Covenant is also applicable. In the name of my Government I hereby invoke the application of articles 10, 11 and 17 of the Covenant and appeal to the Council to advise upon such means and take such action as may be appropriate and necessary for the situation under the said articles." 2. As reported the covering letter to the supplementary statement requests that it be communicated to members of the League and to the Advisory Committee. BUCKNELL 793.94/10094 : Telegram The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State NANKING, September 15, 1937-3 p. m. [Received September 16-9:10 a. m.] 660. 1. Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Hsu Mo orally informed the Embassy September 14, 6 p. m., that the Chinese Government was disappointed that the United States and other nations had taken such an aloof attitude toward Japanese aggression against China and hopes that the United States would cooperate with the League in any action on China's behalf which the League might decide upon in response to China's appeal, not only as a nation represented on the Advisory Committee but as an advocate of international justice outside of the League. He said the League itself was pessimistic of the success of any action unless it were supported by the United States. 2. The Vice Minister said that China was defending itself with all its powers and had succeeded better than Japan had anticipated, but unless China received some sort of assistance from the outside China was ultimately doomed. What China especially hoped for, he said, was cooperative action by Great Britain, France and the United States and he thought those countries were willing and even anxious to act jointly with the United States. Code text by mail to Peiping. JOHNSON 793.94/10079: Telegram The Consul at Geneva (Bucknell) to the Secretary of State GENEVA, September 15, 1937-3 p. m. [Received September 15-1:25 p. m.] 297. From Harrison. Consulate's 272, September 9, 7 p. m.; and 296, September 14, 10 p. m.,23 on Chinese appeal. In his address before Assembly today Wellington Koo concluded as follows: "In short, the Far East situation, on account of its utmost gravity, calls for urgent action by the League. The Chinese Government has formally appealed to the Council, invoking articles 10, 11, and 17 of the Covenant. It is now for the Council to decide whether to proceed itself to consideration and action at once or to seize the Assembly at the same time of the question or to refer it first to the Advisory Committee on the Sino-Japanese conflict set up by the Assembly of February 24, 1933." Hoo this morning again inquired of Bucknell as to our attitude regarding reconstitution of and participation in Advisory Committee. " Latter not printed. He again intimated that if it would embarrass us or prejudice our attitude towards China's case, he would probably not press matter in Council tomorrow. If we should now decide against participation or would prefer that Committee should not be reconstituted, any intimation to this effect to Hoo might in all likelihood prevent proposed action by Chinese tomorrow. At this time in my own best judgment we should maintain our entire freedom of action with a view to the restoration of peace in the Far East and refrain from association in any League activities since probabilities are that if we should participate, attempt might be made to place onus of any outcome on us. [Harrison.] BUCKNELL 793.94/10080: Telegram The Consul at Geneva (Bucknell) to the Secretary of State GENEVA, September 15, 1937-4 p. m. [Received September 15-1: 50 p. m.] 298. Consulate's 296, September 14, 10 p. m.24 The speech which Koo delivered before the Assembly this morning was a calm and measured statement covering in broad lines the most important aspects of the conflict with Japan. After an historical statement of recent events along the lines of the recent notes communicated to the League by China he spoke on the following points: (1) Refutation of over population and raw materials pleas as a basis of Japanese imperialistic policy; (2) Ultimate objectives of Japan to dominate Asia; (3) Danger to foreign economic interests and territorial possessions; (4) The indivisibility of peace and the danger of allowing such an aggressive policy to continue. In connection with (4) above he quoted the third sentence of the Secretary's statement of principles of July 16 25 beginning "Any situation". As regards the practice of indiscriminate bombing he quoted the British note to Japan occasioned by the air attack on the British Ambassador. For the procedures which the Chinese propose to follow, see Consulate's 297, September 15, 3 p. m. 24 Not printed. BUCKNELL 25 Vol. 1, p. 699. 793.94/10079: Telegram The Secretary of State to the Consul at Geneva (Bucknell) WASHINGTON, September 16, 1937-3 p. m. 138. Your 297, September 15, 3 p. m., from Harrison. Please in your discretion inform Hoo that the American Government will make no decision regarding fact or method of its possible cooperation with the League in regard to the Japanese-Chinese situation unless and until approached by the League with some concrete proposal formulated by the League. HULL 793.94/10111: Telegram The Consul at Geneva (Bucknell) to the Secretary of State 302. From Harrison: GENEVA, September 16, 1937-5 p. m. [Received 7:25 p. m.] 1. a. Avenol 26 asked me to call this morning. He expressed great pleasure that your statements of July 16 and August 23 had been communicated and told me that he proposed to lay them before the Council with a view to a most appreciative reply. b. He then said that he wanted to let me know in advance that the Council proposed to refer the Chinese complaint to the Advisory Committee which was listed in their last publication of League Committees and considered still to be in existence. He explained that their purpose was to obviate the necessity of taking action on Koo's requests of September 13 (see Consulate's telegram No. 292 of September 13, 9 p. m.) for the application of article 17 of the Covenant. He also told me confidentially that Eden," Delbos, and he had talked with Koo pointing out the inevitable consequences entailed if the application of article 17 were followed through and stressing the effect of an eventual declaration of a state of war and the enforcement of our Neutrality Act. Koo had therefore modified his demand in his address yesterday, leaving to the Council three alternatives as to the course to be pursued (see Consulate's telegram No. 297, September 15, 3 p. m.). Avenol laid emphasis on the fact that in its decision the Council would avoid reference to article 17. As he seemed to take it for granted that we would sit on the Advisory Committee I thought it well, in thanking him for the information, to say that there was no assurance that we would wish to participate. 20 Joseph Avenol, Secretary General of the League of Nations. 2. At his request I called upon Eden after seeing Avenol. He said that he wished to inform me that it was proposed to have the Council refer the Japanese-Chinese dispute to the Advisory Committee, that he felt that if it were taken up by the Council it might be embarrassing to us and furthermore the Council did not include important interested countries such as Holland as well as the United States who were represented on the Committee. I referred to Wilson's conversation with the British Chargé d'Affaires reserving our freedom of decision. He said that he did not have a clear recollection on that point but from observation he would like to say that he earnestly hoped we would participate. Eden also told me that he and Delbos had talked with Koo and had urged him not to insist on the application of article 17. They had pointed out that such insistence might result in the declaration of a state of war, recognition of belligerency, restriction of British trade and enforcement of our Neutrality Act. Koo had claimed that he wanted to appeal to the first paragraph of article 17 only. Eden expressed the belief that the Chinese did not want a recognition of a state of war. On the other hand the Japanese did not want the enforcement of the Neutrality Act, why he could not imagine; perhaps as we were the source of their oil supply. To my question as to what he had in mind for the Advisory Committee he replied that it might appeal of [to?] both parties or invite Japanese cooperation or find some solution and in this connection mentioned his admiration for Colijn's 28 capabilities. 3. After Eden I saw Vansittart.29 (a) In his opinion there is no prospect of any move by members to take the initiative in obtaining Italian return to the League in connection with the Abyssinian situation in view of the general conviction that Italy is responsible for submarine piracy, and (b) only hope for termination of SinoJapanese conflict lies in stiff Chinese resistance with resultant Japanese realization that the game is not worth the candle. 4. Koo and Hoo have just called on me. Explained that the Council in private session this afternoon will discuss procedure. Koo will briefly summarize his speech of yesterday and repeat proposed alternatives, the President of the Council will propose reference to the Advisory Committee, namely, reference of the Chinese notes of August 30 and September 13. Koo, however, in order to protect his juridical position will then make a reservation respecting his appeal to article 28 Hendrik Colijn, Netherland Premier. 29 Sir Robert Vansittart, British Permanent Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. |