793.003/390: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in China (Johnson)
269. Department’s 262, August 5, noon.50
[Here follows summary, in four numbered paragraphs, of telegraphic exchange of views between August 7 and 9 with the Embassy in Great Britain.]
- 5.
- In response to request made, at instance of the Department, for comment on Hornbeck’s letter to Campbell51 and conversations with Huxley, June 9 and 10 (see mail instructions 137, June 9, and 149, June 2352), Foreign Office states that it “understands the position and regards it as satisfactory”. Department deems this vague.
- 6.
- In reply to inquiry as to basis on which Foreign Office believes that any useful purpose will be served by negotiating in the near future, Foreign Office states that it is committed by its promise to negotiate; that it therefore judges it desirable to maintain the attitude that it is prepared to continue the negotiations at any time; but that it fully realizes that the rate of progress may be considerably affected by conditions in China.
- 7.
- Department has taken no step in nature of negotiation with Chinese Minister here since March. Dr. Wu plans to leave here for trip to Geneva at end of this month, August. This will make it impossible to negotiate here during month of September.
[Paraphrase.] On this account and since conditions in China in the near future are, apparently, completely uncertain, consideration is being given by the Department to a possible proposal to the British Government that neither the British nor the American Government take any further initiative until, say, October of this year, when it might be practicable, if the political situation in China allows, to submit proposals, as per the June 4th draft, to the Chinese authorities simultaneously at London and Washington and by you and your British colleague and possibly by your Japanese colleague in China. In partial explanation of this rather unusual conception of procedure, the Department offers for your consideration that it has in mind the fact that it knows that, although it is committed to negotiate with the Chinese Minister here, and while this Government has ample facilities to communicate by telegraph, the Chinese Government and its Legation in Washington are very limited in their facilities. You are requested to comment, especially on the paragraph above. [End paraphrase.]