793.94/2192: Telegram
The Consul at Geneva (Gilbert) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 18—11:45 a.m.]
213. [Paraphrase.] The Council today held private meetings at 11:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Further action by the Council in the Japan-China situation in Manchuria was given consideration. The Chinese and Japanese representatives were not present at these meetings. I attended both meetings, of course not taking part.
At the end of the evening meeting a draft regarding the situation was drawn up and distributed for study to the Council Committee members as a basis for a program of possible action. This resolution is to be discussed tomorrow, Sunday, at 11 a.m., when the Council holds a private meeting.
The resolution reads as follows [End paraphrase.]:
“The Council, in pursuance of the resolution passed on the 30th September;
- 1.
- Having requested the parties to do all in their power to hasten the restoration of normal relations between them, assumes that neither party will resort to aggressive policy or action and that the two Governments will take every possible measure for the suppression of hostile agitation, and notes the assurances already given on this point;
- 2.
- Having noted the statement of the Japanese representative that the Japanese Government would continue as rapidly as possible the withdrawal of its troops into the railway zone in proportion as the safety of the lives and property of Japanese nationals is effectively assured and the statement of the Chinese representative that his Government will assume the responsibility for the safety of the lives and property of Japanese nationals outside that zone, assumes that the pledge of the Chinese Government includes the extension of efficient protection to Japanese subjects residing in Manchuria;
- 3.
- Having recognized the importance of the Japanese statement that Japan has no territorial designs in Manchuria, notes that this statement is in accordance with the terms of the Nine-Power Treaty, the signatories of which are pledged ‘to respect the sovereignty, the independence and the territorial and administrative integrity of China’;
- 4.
- Considers that these engagements and the agreement of the Chinese and Japanese representatives to the interpretation placed upon them by the Council are of a nature to facilitate the restitution of normal relations between the two parties but that the establishment of such relations cannot be adequately secured until the decisions [Page 226] taken by the Council in its resolution of the 30th of September are fully executed;
- 5.
- Calls upon the Japanese Government to begin immediately to proceed progressively with the withdrawal of its troops into the railway zone so that the total withdrawal can be effected within a maximum period of 3 weeks from the date of the present resolution;
- 6.
- Calls upon the Chinese Government to make such arrangements for taking over the territory thus evacuated as will insure the safety of the lives and property of Japanese nationals there, and further requests the Chinese Government to assist [associate] with the Chinese authorities designated for the above purpose representatives of other powers in order that such representatives may follow in [the] execution of the arrangements;
- 7.
- Recommends that direct negotiations shall at once be begun between representatives of the Chinese and Japanese Governments so as to insure that the details of the execution of all points relating to the evacuation and the taking over of the evacuated territory may proceed smoothly and without delay;
- 8.
- Recommends that direct negotiations should be begun between the two Governments not later than 7 days before the term fixed for the total evacuation—provided such evacuation has made good progress by that date—on any points of execution arising out of the engagements referred to in points 1, 2 and 3, but excluding those set out in 5 and 6, on any further question arising out of the occupation of the territory in question, and on the questions outstanding between the two Governments, among which the first matter to be examined should be arrangements between the Japanese and Chinese railway administrations with a view to a practical solution of existing difficulties arising out of the railway situation in Manchuria;
- 9.
- The Council, though always at the disposal of the two parties should they desire its good offices, calls their attention to the precedent governing the conversations which led to the settlement of questions relative to Shantung, in which the two Governments requested the assistance of two personalities belonging to neutral states; the Council would be willing, if invited, to nominate one or two persons for this purpose.”