793.94/1860: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Wilson), at Geneva
127. Your 159, September 24, 1 p.m. The day’s news seems to confirm the Department’s impression that the Government at Tokyo is honestly trying to extricate itself from a position which is impossible and that in this process it should not be pressed. My chief reason for fearing the suggested committee of investigation has been that it would obstruct the civil elements of the Tokyo Government and would play into the hands of the Japanese military element. To me these dangers appear to outweigh any good which such a committee’s appointment would do at the present moment, though later on it may be useful. The original idea of a committee to be imposed entirely by outside nations appeared to me as clearly impossible and dangerous. The proposal now is better. In my personal opinion, the form least objectionable to both Japan and China would be a commission which they themselves would appoint. Until some proposal has actually been accepted by both the Chinese and Japanese, I should prefer not deciding whether to permit American membership. I fear otherwise that American membership will be used by the League as a threat to Japan, and this would not, in my opinion, produce the results anticipated by the League but would do exactly the reverse and, furthermore, would destroy future American usefulness as a mediator should the League not succeed. Please inform Drummond confidentially [Page 61] that it is believed best here not to decide about American membership pending agreement by Japan and China to the proposal.