893.0146/768: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan ( Grew )

[Substance]

154. In connection with the matter of the retention in China of British, French and Italian armed forces, the Ambassador is instructed to approach the Japanese Government informally to the following effect:

According to information received from the Commander in Chief of the United States Asiatic Fleet, the commanders of all European forces in the neighborhood of Shanghai have orally and informally agreed that in case the European war should unfortunately spread they would maintain the peaceful status quo now existing at Shanghai. Information in regard to the agreement is understood to have been given to the Japanese authorities. Further information has been received from the American Embassy at Peiping to the effect that the officers in command of European armed detachments at Peiping evinced an altogether cooperative attitude in conformity with the agreement arrived at at Shanghai. The American Government takes for granted that the European forces at Tientsin are included in this attitude. As a party to various international agreements, including the Boxer Protocol, under the provisions of which the American Government and other governments keep bodies of naval and military forces in China, this Government expresses its gratification on account of this development, which, in its opinion, will further the interests of both neutral and belligerent nations.

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The Ambassador is instructed to use his discretion in informing the British, Italian and French Ambassadors of the contemplated action before he approaches the Japanese Foreign Office.

Hull