Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1932, The Far East, Volume III

793.94/4051½

Memorandum of Trans-Atlantic Telephone Conversation⁸⁴

February 8, 1932, 2 p.m.

Gibson: Did the Secretary tell you about his talk with Sir John Simon?⁸⁵

Castle: Yes. The Secretary is on the wire now.

Gibson: I had a very satisfactory talk with Sir John Simon and he brought me up to date in the matter and he is hoping to be able to keep the Council from taking vigorous action while negotiations are pending.

Secretary: I think that is probably wise, but I am not very troubled even if they did. I am not in a very pacific frame of mind.

Gibson: I understand.

Secretary: So long as they are instituting on the Japanese initiative some proposals which may probably affect the truce in Shanghai. We agreed with Sir John that it would be wise not to rock the boat.

Gibson: Yes, all right. Yen, the Chinese Minister, has asked for a meeting. There probably will be a meeting tomorrow.

Secretary: I don’t want to have the American representative at Geneva try to hold China down.

Gibson: All right. No such action.

Secretary: The sympathies of this country are at present very strongly with China on the Shanghai affair. While we are taking a neutral position, of course we feel that she has been outrageously treated.

Gibson: All right, Mr. Secretary, I am very glad to have your view.

Secretary: If that be treason, make the most of it.

Gibson: All right. Good-bye.

84. Between Mr. Castle and Mr. Stimson in Washington and Mr. Gibson in Geneva, February 8, 1932, 2 p.m.
85. See memorandum of conversation, February 6, 2:30 p.m., p. 234.