893.51 Salt Funds/116: Telegram
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Mellon) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 31—8:45 a.m.]
189. I discussed Department’s 156 of May 27, 4 p.m.,34 with Foreign Secretary who stated that he would immediately ask Foreign Office to prepare a statement of views for transmission to you through this Embassy. Sir John stated Foreign Office understood that United States missions in Peiping and Tokyo were against representations in respect to the Salt Administration as a weak case specifically in that United States and England had a very limited interest therein. Sir John pointed out that China itself in the past had violated the Salt Agreement.
The Foreign Secretary queried as to why not leave this particular question to be reported on by the Lytton Commission on which there was a United States member. Sir John felt such a procedure would permit Anglo-American cooperation, which he stressed is of the utmost importance, and also United States League cooperation, and leave England in a position of full cooperation with both the United States and the League in the matter.
I gather the above views may be shared by the Foreign Office generally.
- Not printed.↩