793.94 Commission/560: Telegram
The Minister in Switzerland (Wilson) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 25—6:14 p.m.]
50. From Davis and Wilson. We have been endeavoring to estimate the situation regarding the League’s action concerning Manchuria. As far as we can foretell the Assembly will meet on December 5th and after consuming a few days in discussing report it will ask Committee of Nineteen to draft a report and resolution. As previously advised the resolution will probably provide for acceptance of the first eight chapters of the Lytton report and the reference to either (a) the Committee of Nineteen or (b) some other smaller body to negotiate a settlement along the lines of chapters 9 and 10. It is contemplated that above resolution will be adopted about December 15th.
We feel that there is every advantage in having this matter kept definitely within the scope of the League of Nations and that the setting up of a smaller committee composed perhaps of the nine powers plus Russia would take responsibility from the League and place it more definitely on the members of the smaller committee.
A further question arises as to whether you see any difficulty in admitting American cooperation in a body in which a representative [Page 369] of the Soviets is sitting. Our own opinion based on the report of the Lytton Commission is that it is essential to have Russian representatives present in reaching a solution.
We will be called upon in the near future to state definitely whether once the report is adopted and a verdict rendered, which is purely a League matter, we will be prepared to join either the Committee of Nineteen or the smaller body mentioned above to deal specially with the question of reaching a solution. If you do not see political difficulties at home involved in such procedure we feel that it would be advantageous to choose participation in the Committee of Nineteen, thus holding the League more definitely responsible. For practical purposes the Committee of Nineteen might then appoint a smaller subcommittee to negotiate a settlement.
If we participate in such a committee the choice of a representative would have to be made soon. We venture to suggest that we know of no one better qualified than General McCoy who seems to have won the complete confidence of both sides. The only question is as to the propriety of having a former member of the Commission of Inquiry become a Government representative in a case on which he has made a report.