793.94/3473: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 11—9:50 a.m.]
51. Wellington Koo called this noon and inquired as to the significance of the Department’s notes to China and to Department’s telegram. I informed him orally of the contents of Department’s 3, January 8, 5 p.m., to Nanking. In the course of the conversation, during which he brought up the question of a conference under the Nine-Power Treaty, he expressed belief that there could be no settlement to the Manchurian question unless realities were boldly and honestly faced and the interests of all three parties to the questions involved in the situation in Manchuria, namely, China, Japan and Russia, were taken into consideration at such conference. He expressed the belief that Russia must necessarily be a party to such conference. I told Koo that I had no information as to the Department’s views in regard to such a conference either as to its composition or as to the time of holding it. I said that I felt that among the factors to be taken into consideration in determining the time when such a conference should be called would be the existence of a responsible government in China with a leadership capable of facing the problems involved and committing itself to a plan for their settlement.