Office of the Historian

793.94/4466: Telegram

The Minister in Switzerland (Wilson) to the Secretary of State

Geneva, February 27, 1932—midnight.
[Received February 27—11:40 p.m.]

41. Telephone communication apparently impossible tonight. I have seen Sir John Simon and have spoken to him regarding your views.

  • Point 1. Regarding the proposals that the action contemplated is not to be construed as a waiver of the position heretofore taken by the powers in their former notes and statements Sir John is in hearty accord and thinks the suggestion of value.
  • [Point] 2. Regarding the necessity for a further intimation from Matsudaira as to the acceptability of this action to the Japanese Government Sir John suggested that we are on the edge of a serious battle, that anything that he can do with even moderate hope of success is worth the effort and that certainly our public would approve our action in any endeavor to prevent such a catastrophe. Matsudaira had told him of Debuchi’s démarche and this strengthened the conviction of Sir John that the Government was at least hopeful that such a démarche would put them in a position to make their desire prevail for a cessation of hostilities.
  • Point 3. Since speaking to me this afternoon Sir John had seen Boncour and Grandi and found them, he thought, very favorable to the [Page 463] idea but his own ideas after talking to them have undergone some change. He points out that he would like, if possible, not to disassociate the Council from this attempt and what he would like to do would be to have a meeting of the Twelve Monday morning,14 present to them a draft of a letter to Matsudaira and Yen. He is convinced that he can get approval to any draft which he proposes, that the Council members will be delighted at Great Britain taking the initiative in the Council in this respect and he envisages this letter to contain a suggestion from the Council that the negotiations regarding the cessation of hostilities and the subsequent negotiations for the reestablishment of peace in Shanghai be left to the powers directly interested, at the same time making it known that the United States is ready to cooperate in this step for the reestablishment of peace.
  • Point 4. Simon suggests that he, Drummond, Norman Davis and myself meet for lunch tomorrow and draft text of resolution to be presented to Council by Simon as well as a letter from me to Drummond stating that the United States would be happy to cooperate with the other powers principally interested in Shanghai who have been designated by the Council to restore peace. The intention is that the text should be ready to be handed in the moment the resolution is passed.
  • Point 5. Your suggestion which I have discussed in point 1 will, of course, be incorporated in the Council resolution.
  • Point 6. I will telephone tomorrow evening at approximately 12 o’clock Washington time to submit to you drafts of Council resolution and my proposed letter.
Wilson
  1. February 29.↩