793.94 Commission/648: Telegram
The Minister in Switzerland (Wilson) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 13—5:25 p.m.]
66. From Davis. We are informed very confidentially by Frederick Moore whom we consider good authority that the Japanese delegation here would be glad to see the United States participate in the work of collaborating on the Committee of Nineteen. At the same time the Japanese Government is opposed to such participation believing that an American delegation would be guided by sentiments hostile to Japan. We both feel as we believe you do that it is important both from our own point of view and from that of Japan that the United States should so participate provided the basis of the work of conciliation is satisfactory and that such participation should be acquiesced in by Japan.
We have been giving thought as to what might be done to convince the Japanese that we have no sentiments hostile to them or to their legitimate interests and that our participation if it occurs would be directed to aiding Japan to work out a peaceful solution of an extremely difficult problem and to doing away with the continuous menace to their economic interests by means of a constructive solution.
With this in view we submit to your consideration a possible course of action namely that you might think it well to instruct Grew to inform Count Uchida that the Japanese Chargé d’Affaires had talked with Castle on the question of our participation on the Committee of Nineteen and then give the substance of what Castle said and then add that our conception of conciliation was that the free consent of both parties to the dispute was a prerequisite for a successful outcome and that if an invitation was issued with terms of reference which would permit us to take part, our acceptance if given would be with the hope of contributing towards the reaching of a constructive solution; that the time for the expression of opinion as to these events would then be passed and that the course upon which the world was now embarked was to reach an accord which could be accepted by the two parties.