793.94 Commission/467: Telegram
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Mellon) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 19—11:25 a.m.]
299. Norman Davis and I called on Sir John Simon this morning at 10 o’clock and gave to him verbally the substance of your message [Page 305] No. 269, October 14, 6 p.m. He reiterated the importance of our working together on the Far Eastern matter and also agreed that France and, if possible, Italy should be included. He said he was as favorably impressed by the Lytton report as you and that he has been wondering what would be the practical procedure for dealing with it. The report, as he said, gives a very definite statement of facts and while the recognition of Manchukuo by Japan does not alter our treaty rights, obligations, lawful interests in any way the actual recognition is another fact with which we have to deal and he was convinced that the Lytton report had been as accurate as it is humanly possible to be in the finding of facts, but that as a matter of procedure and of courtesy he thought we must first consider the answer which the Japanese submit and after that to agree to stand by the Lytton report. One point Sir John made was that the report recommends that Japan recognize the sovereignty of China over Manchukuo and in the face of Japan’s having now recognized the sovereignty of the new state over this territory it will be difficult to get Japan at once to reverse herself but this may be worked out in the course of time. He seemed to recognize the reasons why the British might with advantage take the lead in determining and recommending a future course of action and said we would have a further exchange of views.