793.94/4803: Telegram
The Minister in Switzerland (Wilson) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 16—6:20 p.m.]
78. Following report from Sweetser:
“The Assembly Committee of 19 members appointed to follow the Sino-Japanese affair held its first meeting in private this afternoon. Hymans as president stated that Sato had authorized him to state:
- (1st)
- that the withdrawal of troops from Shanghai had already begun and,
- (2d)
- that the two parties had in cooperation with the four principal powers reached a provisional agreement which was still secret but which Sato hoped might soon be published.
Londonderry confirmed this information stating that another meeting was scheduled at Shanghai for this afternoon.
The Committee all felt that the center of interest now lies in Shanghai and that the only useful action possible at Geneva would be to sustain the action of the powers there and bring any possible pressure to bear upon the parties to induce them to arrive at an immediate and final agreement. It was, therefore, agreed that a public meeting with the two parties present should be called for tomorrow afternoon at which it would be hoped Sato would repeat publicly what he had said to Hymans privately and that thereupon various members of the Committee would make declarations as to the need of haste. Should this program prove feasible and the hopes of a definitive early settlement be realized the Committee would then be able to adjourn for the 3 weeks of the Disarmament Conference adjournment. Should any smaller difficulty arise the Secretary General could negotiate it by telephone with Hymans; should a major difficulty arise Hymans could always reconvene the Committee.
In reply to a question as to sources of information for the Committee, Drummond stated they were three. The first was the original Lytton Commission created by the Council under article 11 and now [Page 590] in Shanghai. This Commission was leaving shortly for Nanking for a few days and then for Manchuria and had been asked to make an interim report to the Council as soon as possible. The Council would undoubtedly study this report as soon as it came and pass it on to the Assembly Committee with any comment it cared to make. The second was the original Shanghai Committee instituted by himself at the outbreak of the crisis and still subject to call if desired. He thought however that this would be unnecessary because of the third system of information through the principal powers which was giving satisfactory results.
An inconclusive exchange of views also took place as to whether the Committee’s meetings should be in public or not. Beneš and Motta felt that in principle public sessions were highly desirable; Hymans, Boncour and Apponyi however felt that a delicate mediation could best be conducted in private. No formal decision was reached except that tomorrow’s meeting with the two parties should be public.”