793.94/4321: Telegram
The Consul at Geneva (Gilbert) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 19—9 p.m.]
86. The Council met in public at 5:30 this afternoon74 and in a very tense atmosphere continued in session until 9:30. The chief feature was as follows:
[Page 403]The Chinese representative spoke first and declared that the Japanese ultimatum for the Chinese troops to withdraw to 20 kilometers from Shanghai had not and could not be accepted by China, and that by the terms of that ultimatum the Japanese forces would thus attack at 7 a.m. tomorrow which was midnight tonight Geneva time. The disposition and numbers of the opposing forces presaged a battle on a large scale. He placed this impending catastrophe immediately in the hands of the Council.
Boncour appealed to the Japanese to extend the time limit of the ultimatum. All the members of the Council except the representative of China supported Boncour in this appeal.
Sato rejoined by suggesting this appeal should also be made to China as one of the parties to the conflict.
This Boncour refused to do stating in substance that it was Japan which had delivered the ultimatum and that it was the ultimatum on which the matter now turned (it will be observed that in these he held to the spirit of the Council’s appeal of February 16th which was addressed solely to Japanese. See Wilson’s 24, February 16, 8 p.m., and 25, February 16, 9 p.m.)
Sato agreed to communicate this appeal immediately to his Government.
The members of the Council which had representatives in Shanghai were urged to communicate a similar appeal to Japanese through their representatives there.
Both Boncour and Drummond came to me after the meeting and asked that I inform you of this appeal and to convey to you their hope that you would find it possible to take similar action.
At this meeting Council also unanimously adopted a resolution convoking the Assembly to meet March 3rd.
Full report of meeting follows.75