793.94/1821: Telegram
The Consul at Geneva (Gilbert) to the Secretary of State
[Received 7 p.m.]
118. Consulate’s number 116, September 20, 4 p.m. The Secretary General circulated to the Council late this afternoon a note which he had just received from a representative of China on the Council. The Secretary General in agreement with the President of the Council has convoked the Council to meet tomorrow morning to take up this matter.
[Page 25]The Chinese note dated today is as follows:
“I am instructed by the National Government of China to bring to your attention the facts stated below and to request that in virtue of article 11 of the Covenant of the League of Nations you forthwith summon a meeting of the Council of the League in order that it may take such action as it may deem wise and effectual so that the peace of nations may be safeguarded.
Through statements made to it at its meeting on September 19 by the representatives of China and Japan, the Council was advised of the fact that a serious situation had been created in Manchuria. In his statement at that meeting the representative of China declared that the information which he then had, indicated that the situation had been created through no fault on the part of the Chinese. Since September 19 the undersigned has received from his Government information which discloses a situation of greater gravity than had appeared by the first report and which revealed that beginning from 10 o’clock of the night of September 18th regular troops of Japanese soldiers without provocation of any kind opened rifle and artillery fire upon Chinese I soldiers at or near the city of Mukden, bombarded the arsenal and barracks of the Chinese soldiers, set fire to the ammunition depot, disarmed the Chinese troops in Changchun (Kwangchengtse) and other places, and later took military occupation of the cities of Mukden and Antung and other places and of public buildings therein, and are now in such occupation. Lines of communication have also been seized by Japanese troops.
To these acts of violence the Chinese soldiers and populace acting under instructions from the Chinese Government have made no resistance and have refrained from conduct which might in any way aggravate the situation.
In view of the foregoing facts the Republic of China, a member of the League of Nations, asserts that a situation has arisen which calls for action under the terms of article 11 of the Covenant. I am therefore instructed by my Government to request that, in pursuance of authority given to it by article 11 of the Covenant, the Council take immediate steps: to prevent the further development of a situation endangering the peace of nations; to reestablish the status quo ante; and to determine the amounts and character of such reparations as may be found due to the Republic of China.
I will add that the Government of China is fully prepared to act in conformity with whatever recommendations it may receive from the Council, and to abide by whatever decisions the League of Nations may adopt in the premises.”