793.94 Commission/791: Telegram
The Minister in Switzerland (Wilson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10:10 p.m.]
107. My 106, February 13, 8 p.m. Following is text of Matsuoka’s reply of February 14 to the letter of February 9 addressed to him by the Secretary General:
“I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your note of the 9th instant regarding the proposed resolution and the draft declaration by the President under discussion in the Committee of Nineteen.
In reply I beg to state that the point you raise is one on which the Japanese Government have made repeated and unequivocal declaration [Page 178] and on which I myself have taken pains to make full explanations to you, to the President of the Committee of Nineteen and to the Council and the Assembly of the League of Nations not only verbally but also in writing.
In my explanations I laid emphasis on the point that while the Japanese Government were not in a position to have their recognition of the independence of Manchukuo made a subject of contentious discussion they would nevertheless be able, I was and remain confident, to make the world understand the fairness and unassailable character of their position provided that ample time were given for the thorough explanation of this and other relevant points. I understood from you that the members of the Committee of Nineteen had been fully apprised of the tenor of our conversations and that there would be no misunderstanding on their part of the Japanese attitude in this matter.
I would further call your attention to the fact that the time when the Committee of Nineteen expressed their agreement to the deletion from the proposed resolution and draft declaration by the President of the portion relating to the invitation of the nonmember states while expressing the wish that the Japanese Government would see their way to accepting the rest, you and the President of the Committee of Nineteen made to me on the 18th January last a suggestion that the Japanese Government might make an ex parte declaration of reservation in elucidation of Japan’s attitude in regard to the last paragraph of the draft declaration by the President.
I was then given to understand that the Committee of Nineteen would not object to Japan’s taking such a course. The suggestion, I am confident, would never have been made if the Committee of Nineteen had not acquired a clear conception of Japan’s position as regards the question raised by your note under acknowledgment. But it was not only made but was actually confirmed by the official communiqué of the 14th February.91
The Japanese Government have no objection to inclusion in the draft resolution and declaration of the principles of chapter 9 of the report of the Commission of Inquiry, on the understanding that they will be applied with due regard to the actual development of events, and with like regard to the principle that the very nature of conciliation involves an impartial abstention from prejudgment of the issues.
In taking this conciliatory stand the Japanese Government have naturally been acting on the assumption that the Committee of Nineteen were fully aware of their attitude in the matter, namely, that the Japanese Government are convinced that the maintenance and recognition of the independence of Manchoukuo are the only guarantees of peace in the Far East and that the whole question will eventually be solved between Japan and China on that basis. They have also entertained throughout a just expectation that the Committee of Conciliation would give ample time to have these and other points fully explained, and that they could finally convince every impartial mind of the justice and moral strength of their position.
I trust that from the above the standpoint of Japan as regards the subject of your inquiry has been made clear and I may add that the Japanese delegation also sincerely appreciate the efforts which you and the Committee of Nineteen are exerting in the matter”.
Following is a further communication to Matsuoka by the Secretary General under date of February 14 in rejoinder to letter above quoted:
“The Committee of Nineteen desire me to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 14th February.
The Committee is grateful for the statements contained in that letter, which indicate the attitude of your Government as to Manchukuo.
Your communication makes it clear that the Japanese delegation, in accepting as a basis for the settlement of the dispute the 10 principles and conclusions set out in the 9th chapter of the report of the Commission of Inquiry, intended that the additional words proposed by the delegation ‘applying such principles and conclusions to the events which have developed,’ should modify the scope of the 7th principle. The Committee understands that, if a committee of conciliation had been constituted, the Japanese representative at such a committee would not, in fact, have been prepared to accept, as part of the basis of its work, that, as stated in the report of the Committee of Inquiry, the maintenance and recognition of the existing regime would not afford a satisfactory solution of the Manchuria problem. This being so, the Committee, to its deep regret, feels bound to hold that the Japanese proposals put forward on the 8th February do not afford an acceptable basis for conciliation. The Committee has given full consideration to the various points raised in your letter, but in the circumstances it does not feel that to enter into a discussion of them could lead to any fruitful result. The Committee is of course willing to examine with the greatest care, up to the date of the final meeting of the Assembly, any further proposals which your Government may wish to make, but the Committee feels sure that Your Excellency will realize that any aggravation of the existing situation must render more difficult, if not indeed frustrate, fresh efforts at conciliation.”
The two letters and Sir Eric’s communication to Matsuoka of February 9 have been made public.
- See infra.↩