793.94/2763: Telegram
The Chargé in France (Shaw) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 19—4:42 a.m.]
765. From Ambassador Dawes: Simon leaves early tomorrow morning to attend a London Cabinet meeting but expects to return shortly to Paris. Late tonight I had a conversation with him on the critical situation. I informed him that Matsudaira considered the Japanese internal situation as beyond the Government’s control, and Simon commented that he had a strictly confidential but independent intimation of the possibility of a coup in Japan.
When Yoshizawa went before the Council this afternoon, he did not inform them of the sending to his Government of a second recommendation and of his hope of obtaining authority to present the matter to the League (as had been expected by Matsudaira and as I reported in telegram 762, November 18, 8 p.m.), but Yoshizawa instead reaffirmed in more extravagant fashion all the objectionable old proposals of Japan (for Sweetser’s account of the proceedings in this Council meeting, see Embassy’s 764, November 18, midnight).
The League now is acting under article 11 of the Covenant. It is anticipated that the League will be asked soon, if not tomorrow, by China to proceed under articles 10, 12, 15, and, if necessary, 16. Parenthetically, Sze has informed me that he will call at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow, and this may be in connection with the above. Should China make such a request, Simon feels the League should proceed under article 15 to the appointment of a commission to report on the general situation and then, if this action is ineffective, should proceed under article 16. He is inclined to think, in other words, that in this situation the League should go to the limit of its powers irrespective of [Page 485] whether the probabilities favor success or not. It would tend at least to mobilize the world’s moral forces in a strong way in condemnation of Japan’s procedure, always provided the same attitude is concurrently and independently assumed by the United States Government. Simon inquires whether, in the event of a commission of League members being sent under article 15 to report on the situation, the United States Government would be inclined to appoint either a member or an associate investigator. Simon expressed a wish for a continuing exchange of ideas between the British and American Governments, designed to supplement each other’s attitudes in the most effective way, since our treaty interests and relation generally to the situation are the same. [Dawes.]