793.94/3890: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 2—10:47 p.m.]
Your telegram No. 12, February 1, 3 p.m. [to Peck.] Text of the Chinese reply received by me at 11:30 p.m. is as follows:
“Waichiaopu, February 2, 1932.
Excellency: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt this afternoon of Your Excellency’s note of today’s date communicating from the American Government to the National Government of China the ‘proposal of the powers for cessation of conflict.’
Actuated by sincere desire to observe strictly the obligations of such international agreements as guarantee world peace and the sovereignty, independence, and territorial and administrative integrity of nations, the National Government of China accepts the proposal presented by the powers as contained in Your Excellency’s note. The National Government, however, desires to point out that the terms ‘neutral zones’ used in the fourth paragraph in the present situation [omission?] so far as China is concerned and wishes to suggest that these terms be changed to ‘peace areas’ and ‘third powers’, respectively.
I avail myself, et cetera. (Signed) Lo Wen Kan.”