793.94/2189: Telegram
The Consul at Geneva (Gilbert) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 17—9 p.m.]
212. The following is taking place with respect to the invocation of the Pact of Paris:
- 1.
- The Foreign Ministers of France, Great Britain and Italy are telegraphing at 10 o’clock tonight from Geneva to Tokyo and Peiping (or Nanking) informing the Japanese and Chinese Governments respectively through diplomatic channels that the Pact is formally invoked respecting the situation in Manchuria.
- 2.
- Germany and Spain are taking the same action from Berlin and Madrid respectively.
- 3.
- The text of these identic telegrams reads as follows:
“The (blank) Government has followed with anxiety the development of events in Manchuria, which, since September 18 have created a disquieting situation between China and Japan.
This situation has already been laid before the Council of the League of Nations which is making active efforts to arrive at a settlement and in these efforts my Government’s representative is associate[d].
My Government further considers it to be its duty to call the attention of the Chinese (or Japanese) Government, a co-signatory with itself, of the Pact for the Renunciation of War of August 27, 1928 to the provisions of that Pact and especially to article 2 by which (here follows article 2).
Public opinion throughout the world expects the two Governments to adhere to the undertakings thus assumed. My Government is confident that this hope will not be disappointed and that the two Governments concerned, bearing in mind the scope of these solemn undertakings and of the obligations thereby imposed upon them towards the other signatories of the Pact, will be careful to refrain from taking any step that might endanger the success of the efforts already in progress to secure the settlement by peaceful means of the conflict that has arisen between them.”
- 4.
- French Government will telegraph notifications of this action to all signatories of the Pact of Paris in the name of France, Great Britain, Italy, Germany and Spain.
- 5.
- A press communiqué is being issued from Geneva in the
following terms:
“The members of the Council, with the exception of the two parties concerned, continued their examination of the Sino-Japanese conflict today, and discussed what proposals might be submitted to the two parties. Further, the members of the Council who are also signatories of the Pact of Paris decided that their Governments should call the attention of the Governments of Nanking and Tokyo to the [Page 225] obligations which they have undertaken under article 2 of this Pact. This article reads as follows (here follows article 2).[”]