793.94/4239: Telegram
The Chargé in Great Britain (Atherton) to the Secretary of State
London, February 16, 1932—7
p.m.
[Received 7:08 p.m.]
69. Following are the observations on your draft declaration offered by
Sir John Simon which I read
to you on the telephone this evening:
- “1. In paragraph 4 the British Government ventures to
depreciate the prominent position given to the Manchurian
aspect of the matter on the following grounds: One of the
objects of the document is to exercise the most effective
restraining influence on Japan. A solemn warning in respect
of Shanghai is the most potent way of doing this.
[Page 361]
If Manchuria is
put in the forefront, the result must be to harden the
attitude of Japan towards the Shanghai problem also.
Protests have already been made about Manchuria. The United
States has already reserved its rights by a formal
communication on exactly the same lines as it now proposes
to do at the end of the present document, and Britain has
already taken collateral action in reference to Manchuria in
a different form. Manchuria is the immediate subject matter
of the commission appointed by the League, to which
appointment Japan has assented, and the commission is about
to enter on its work on the spot. Would it not therefore be
better, on every ground, instead of making Manchuria the
head and front of the new representation, to base the
present declaration primarily on Japan’s action and declared
intentions in Shanghai and elsewhere in China proper,
putting aside Manchuria with the observation that this has
already been dealt with and the views of the powers are on
record? It seems to the British Government that this is more
likely to secure some real consideration for the main thesis
of the new document.
- 2. If this view is adopted, paragraph 3 would need to be
recast. In any event it seems to His Majesty’s Government
that it is not so much the events in Manchuria which have
produced fear of a wider conflict, so much as events
connected with the International Settlement.
- 3. In any event would it not be well to include in
paragraph 4 a specific reference to the special dangers
involved in the Japanese operations at or in the
neighborhood of the International Settlement? The point is a
powerful one that the International Settlement is an area
where many powers have equal rights. The other signatories
of the Nine-Power Treaty who are concerned in the Settlement
have no responsibility for the perilous situation which has
arisen; the lives and property of nations which are at
complete peace with China and Japan are in jeopardy; the
responsibility for injury done must rest upon those who are
disturbing the peace of the Settlement.
- 4. Paragraph 6 is strictly in line with the formal
declaration which it is believed that the Council of the
League is likely to make and deliver to Japan either today
or tomorrow (the final paragraph of the League declaration
is as follows: ‘finally, we recall the terms of article 10
of the Covenant by which Japan, no less than every other
member of the League, has undertaken to respect and preserve
as against external aggression the territorial integrity and
existing political independence of all members of the
League. It is our friendly right to direct attention to this
provision, particularly as it appears to us to follow that
no invasion of the territorial integrity and no change in
the political independence of any member of the League
brought about in disregard of this article ought to be
recognized as valid and effectual by members of the League
of Nations’).
- 5. The above comments on the American draft are made at
Mr. Stimson’s request
and are proffered merely as tentative criticisms. It is a
matter thoroughly understood that the question whether other
powers could join in the American document is still in
suspense. Sir John
Simon has already told Mr. Stimson how keenly the
British Government wishes to keep in close cooperation with
America over the whole field of the Far Eastern crisis and
he is hopeful that the
[Page 362]
adherence of the powers now at Geneva
to the declaration proposed to be made by the Council of the
League on Wednesday, might predispose those of them who are
signatories to the Nine-Power Treaty to associate themselves
with the American démarche
also.[”]
