793.94 Commission/585
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs (Hornbeck) of a Conversation With Dr. Sao-ke Alfred Sze
Dr. Sze27 called and proceeded to read from a telegram which he had just received from his Government. In this, it was stated that the Nanking Government understood that the Council of the League intended to refer the Lytton Report to the Committee of Nineteen, that that Committee would not act until some time in December; that they would perhaps propose non-recognition and a commission of conciliation; that such a commission, if established, would be established in January and would be given at least sixty days in which to report. The Nanking Government wanted the action speeded up and desired that Dr. Sze urge that the American Government take a strong position to prevent delay.
Dr. Sze hoped that we would do something in the premises. Mr. Hornbeck reminded Dr. Sze of the statements which had been made by the Secretary in the course of the informal conversation on the occasion when the Secretary received Dr. Sze last week.28 There followed some conversation with regard to the points which the telegram from Nanking reported and the possibilities as regard to League action; and then Dr. Sze asked what reply he should make to the telegram. Mr. Hornbeck said that he would suggest that Dr. Sze reply that he had communicated the message to the Department, and that the Department had declined to make comment. Dr. Sze said that that would “not be enough”. Mr. Hornbeck said that he thought it would be better, at this stage, to say something “not enough” than to attempt to say something “too much”; but that Dr. Sze might point out, on his [Page 362] own authority, that the question of procedure is a constitutional procedure internal to the League and no one should expect that the American Government is going to volunteer suggestions and advice to the League with regard to the League’s conduct of the League’s business. There followed some discussion of the meaning of that suggestion, and Dr. Sze left with the statement that he would think the matter over.