793.94/5829: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 30—5 a.m.]
100. Following from Nanking:
“January 29, 10 a.m. Your 80 and 85 to the Department.65
- 1.
- I questioned the Minister for Foreign Affairs January 28, 5 p.m., about newspaper reports that either Tuan or the Young Marshal might have suggested to the Government that negotiations be opened with Japan. Lo said these reports were sent out by Japan and were completely unfounded. He referred to published interviews of Tuan all of which have advocated continued military resistance. Lo said Tuan had come to Shanghai for safety because he feared the Japanese would kidnap him or seek to utilize him otherwise.
- 2.
- Lo said the determination of the Chinese Government and people to resist Japan is unchanged but he insisted that Japan is beginning to be apprehensive and is trying every method to undermine China’s spirit of resistance. He professed indignation at the seeming desire of a subordinate to assist these efforts, for instance, through offer of local mediation at Shanhaikwan.”
If reports concerning direct negotiations were sent out by Japan it seems to me peculiar that at the time they were given currency by people near the Young Marshal here and during his absence, American newspaper correspondents were apparently convinced that something [Page 140] of the sort was in the wind and told me that these came voluntarily and primarily from the Chinese and not from the Japanese although all know that the Japanese are anxious to conduct negotiations. One explanation may be that Chang Hsueh-liang’s followers desired by this means to eliminate Tuan Chi-jui from the picture as a possible go-between.
By mail to Tokyo.