793.94/4526: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State27
Your 60, February 29, 4 p.m. I have just seen my British colleague who has shown to me message from London describing proposal which apparently originated there for the holding of a round-table conference intended to deal [with] “problem of Shanghai”, Proposal appears to be made contingent upon immediate cessation of hostilities at Shanghai, mutual evacuation by Japanese and Chinese troops, and undertaking on the part of Japan that she does not seek territory or political advantage. I am informed that Matsudaira told British Foreign Minister that the Japanese idea was that such a conference should deal with question of security and protection of foreigners at Shanghai and the security of the International Settlement. In this connection please see my telegram of yesterday reporting proposal given to Abend of New York Times.
Neither Lampson nor I know of any question involving security of foreign lives or property nor security to Settlement which needs be laid before such a conference. This is in case hostilities cease and Japanese and Chinese troops evacuate. There has been no attack upon the security of the Settlement and we apprehend no danger to nationals here or to the integrity of the Settlement if hostilities cease and troops evacuate. Place where they met Chinese resistance and attack was outside Settlement boundaries and in Chinese policed and controlled and thickly populated area of Chapei.
So far as concerns security, we therefore believe that the only question that could be laid before such a conference would be with respect to enlarging the area of the Settlement, and we believe that it would not be wise for us to become involved in any discussion of such a proposal. Our reasons for this belief are as follows:
- (a)
- Such a proposal would be directly contrary to the policies followed by the two Governments with regard to the future of the Settlement.
- (b)
- Such a proposal would not be acceptable to the Japanese Government in getting such a subject before them.
- (c)
- A suggestion for the enlargement of the Settlement area would no doubt meet with considerable support from British and American [Page 489] interests in Shanghai. However, such support coming from the Japanese, who are now in military occupation of the Settlement under discussion, would ultimately mean that we were merely turning over the municipality of the International Settlement at Shanghai to the Japanese who would of course demand and obtain a majority in the [Municipal] Council.
- (d)
- Even assuming that it were advisable to have a conference regarding Shanghai, under the present circumstances, with feeling between the Japanese and the Chinese at such heat that it is doubtful whether anything could be accomplished, we both feel that to hold such a conference at this time or in Shanghai would be most unwise.
My British colleague is telegraphing his own Government somewhat along above lines. This evening I saw Koo and asked if he had heard anything of a proposal for a conference on the security of foreigners at Shanghai. He said he believed something of the sort was contemplated but he had not heard anything so definite from Geneva. His opinion regarding such a proposal was that the Chinese would not be able to accept it.
The crying need of Shanghai is to obtain a cessation of hostilities, and to link negotiations in regard to the future of the International Settlement would unduly delay this most desirable end. This is my opinion and the commander in chief shares my views.
- Presumably a paraphrase of telegram received by the Office of Naval Operations, Navy Department.↩