793.94/1922
Memorandum by the Secretary of State
The Japanese Ambassador called today, evidently due to a misunderstanding, to ask whether I had finished my note to Japan and to China. I told him that I had not yet finished the note. It was left so that if I finished it this morning I was to let him know by telephone before one o’clock, and if I did not it would go over until tomorrow morning, as I found that he was rather anxious to get out of town for the afternoon.
The Ambassador brought with him a clipping of the article of Hugh Byas in the New York Times of this morning and pointed out [Page 56] Byas’ statement denying that the Japanese had begun any advance on Harbin. The Ambassador said he had officially confirmed this denial; that no such advance had been made. In reference to the occupation of Kirin, he said that only a few soldiers were left there; that the rest of them had withdrawn. He said he thought that the Japanese Government were beginning to withdraw their forces and he hoped to have definite news for me very soon.