893.50A/70
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs (Hornbeck) of a Conversation With the Counselor of the Chinese Legation (Yung Kwai)
Mr. Yung Kwai said that he wished to inquire whether it was true as recently stated in the press that the Japanese Government had made representations to the governments of a number of the powers objecting to the program of assistance to China upon which the League of Nations is engaged.
Mr. Hornbeck inquired whether Mr. Yung Kwai had seen the statement in the New York Times with regard to the reply which had been made in the Department to that inquiry a day or two ago. Mr. Yung Kwai said that he had. Mr. Hornbeck said that that statement contained about all that could be said: that an officer of the Japanese Embassy here had, in the course of a lengthy conversation with regard to a number of matters, affirmed that the Japanese Government looked with misgiving upon the program upon which the League was embarking, especially as Japan was not being included; this was merely an oral and informal statement; as to what the Japanese Government had or had not done at other capitals we had not been informed. Mr. Hornbeck said that if Mr. Yung Kwai reported this matter to his Government he should do so in confidence and should state that news with regard to the matter had first appeared in the Chinese press and, more recently, in the Japanese press; the State Department should in no way be quoted as having given any information whatever. Mr. Yung Kwai said that he would respect our wishes.