793.94/2107: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Consul at Geneva (Gilbert)
95. Your 199, October 14, 3 p.m. In confidence you may say to Drummond that the Department approves Briand’s idea in principle but considers that without the consent of the Chinese and Japanese Governments caution should be used in applying it.
[Page 208]On October 10 the Chinese Chargé left with the Department a copy of a telegram, dated October 9, from the Chinese Foreign Office66a giving the text of a “second note” to be delivered under instruction by the Chinese Minister in Japan to the Tokyo Foreign Office, in which the Japanese Government was requested by the Chinese Government to indicate the localities to be evacuated “over this week”, it being stated that the League Council and this Department were being given copies of the note. The Chinese Chargé was instructed to request the Department to instruct the American Legation at Peiping to authorize “military or civilian representatives to accompany each unit proceeding to occupy the evacuated territories”. The Department by way of reply handed the Chargé an informal memorandum which stated that “note has been made of and consideration is being given to the Chinese Government’s request thus conveyed”. As yet the Department has not taken any further action respecting this matter.