Office of the Historian

793.94/1834: Telegram

The Ambassador in Great Britain (Dawes) to the Secretary of State

[Paraphrase]
London, September 22, 1931—6 p.m.
[Received September 22—3:50 p.m.]

376. The Japanese Ambassador here has just called and says that on September 26 he departs for Tokyo aboard the Berengaria to New York. Upon the insistence of his Government Matsudaira has reluctantly agreed to serve as chairman of the Japanese delegation to the Disarmament Conference next February. He states that representatives of the Army and [Navy?] will be in the delegation. In preparation for this assignment he expects to be away from his post here until the convening of the Conference.

The official advices the Ambassador has received pertaining to the trouble in Manchuria are, in his opinion, somewhat disturbing. In comparison with the estimated force of 10,400 men which Japan has in Manchuria he places the strength of the Chinese at over 200,000 and their heavy guns around Mukden alone at about double the amount available to the entire Japanese Army. Matsudaira states that the Japanese Government and that of China, too, in his opinion, are attempting to bring the conflict to an end. As to the concentration of Soviet troops, he is without knowledge, although he is perturbed by such reports in the press.

[Page 29]

The action of the Japanese military commander at Mukden was not authorized by the War Office at Tokyo and obviously was without the knowledge of the Japanese Government, according to the understanding of the British Foreign Office. The latter feels that the ill effects of a Chinese boycott upon the industry of Japan will make the Japanese only too anxious to seek a solution compatible with their national dignity.

Answering an inquiry, the Foreign Office considers that any material Soviet assistance to the Chinese is not at all probable.

Matsudaira states it is urgent for him to reach Tokyo at the earliest moment, so he does not plan to stop over in Washington. It would be best for you to send me a cable now in case you wish to see him en route across the United States, so that he could alter his plans.

Dawes