793.94/1860: Telegram
The Minister in Switzerland (Wilson) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 24—11:30 a.m.]
159. Department’s 123, September 23, 4 p.m. Great satisfaction was caused by the message to the Council President.
I have talked about your ideas to Sir Eric Drummond. He desires me particularly to make clear to you that as proposed by Lord Cecil in the secret Council meeting last night (which I mentioned by telephone to you last night) the contemplated commission, with Japan and China to name two neutrals each and the Council to name three, is intended merely as a fact-finding body. So contradictory have been the reports received regarding the numbers and present locations of Japanese troops that the Council has felt it essential to obtain the actual facts in this connection. Most narrow terms of reference would be given the commission. Drummond asks whether you would agree to an American member of the commission being nominated in the event of the proposal being accepted by Japan.
The correspondent of the New York Times obtained somewhere a fairly correct summary of my discussion last night with Drummond, and this morning I cautioned Drummond lest such publicity injure the confidential relations between him and you, so desirable now in this crisis. He will stress in the small committee the need to preserve the confidential nature of any communication which I may informally make to him respecting your views.