793.94/3749
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs (Hornbech)
1. The Chinese Chargé said that he had a message from the Chinese Minister, en route to Geneva, asking whether a copy of this Government’s note of January 7 to China and Japan had been communicated to the Council of the League. I replied that a copy had been sent to our Consulate at Geneva for the information of the Council.
[Page 40]The Chargé said that the Minister wished to know whether we would be represented at the next meeting of the Council. I said that the question had not been, so far as I knew, thus far discussed; that I had no doubt but that we would maintain a contact but saw no reason to expect that we would have anyone sitting in or directly associated with the meetings of the Council.
2. Acting on instruction of the Secretary, I told the Chargé that the Senate had some time ago asked for correspondence in relation to the Manchuria situation. I said that I assumed that the Chinese Legation knew of this. The Chargé replied that he did. I said that the Department was sending forward papers, including all of the written communications between this Government and the Chinese and Japanese Governments and some of the correspondence with the League; and that in all probability these papers would, before long, be made public; and that the Secretary desired that the Chinese and Japanese Governments be informed. I suggested that he communicate this information to his Government. He said that he would do so. I said casually that I supposed that it might be assumed that the Chinese Government would welcome this development. The Chargé said that he certainly could think of no reason why they should object and he thought they would probably be gratified.
3. The Chargé said that, without instruction from his Government, he would like to mention again the question of a conference under the Nine Power Treaty. He thought that things were tending more and more toward the necessity for a conference. I said that, without going into the question of the merits of that idea, it seemed to me that there would be little chance of obtaining consideration for it at the present time: for the next few weeks the calendars of all Governments are full.