793.94/5471: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in China (Johnson)
244. Department’s 241, 242 and 243, August 6, and previous. Confronted with a situation such as may be impending in this case, it is difficult to initiate in advance of imminent or actual occurrence of hostilities a discussion among governments of possible courses of action based on an assumption that hostilities will occur. Not only might such an initiative and discussion prejudice the situation, but such discussion might require much correspondence and, in view of the possible urgency of the situation, might not lead to satisfactory conclusions in time to be of value.
On the other hand, it seems to the Department that discussion of problems that may be involved and formulation of recommendations by process of conference among diplomatic representatives on the spot should not be difficult. In this case the Department feels that it is desirable that the representatives at Peiping of the principal non-disputant powers concerned confer freely among themselves with regard to the whole problem and endeavor to arrive at common conclusions at once desirable and practicable which they can recommend as expressive of their collective views for the consideration of their governments respectively. Do you perceive any obstacle? If so, please inform the Department. If not, please regard this as an expression of the Department’s desire.
Inform Department of any developments in this connection.