793.94/4179: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 14—5:20 a.m.]
Your February 12, 5 p.m., to Shanghai. I and British Minister are conferring daily and canvassing probabilities here for cessation of hostilities. We both believe that both sides are ready to take advantage of an opportunity to lay down arms at Shanghai. Chinese are apparently willing to withdraw voluntarily provided Japanese will not enter territory from which they have withdrawn. Japanese are apparently prepared to withdraw their forces to lines as of December 31, 1931, if Chinese will withdraw. Question now of getting them together which we will try to do in order that proposals will come from [Page 324] participants and not us. We are both anxious not to be saddled with responsibility of settlement.