793.94 Commission/738: Telegram
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Mellon) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 13—8:05 p.m.]
8. This evening, after reading a memorandum based on your telephone conversation with Atherton,86 Simon stated he was very glad to have such a message from you and also your assurance that there was no reason to anticipate any change in the policy of the American Government, and he asked me to let you know he felt the policies of the two Governments would run side by side. He added that he had no regrets the methods of conciliation had been tried but he was of your opinion that these methods had apparently now failed and that in his own mind it was clear that next week the League must take another step, set forth in paragraph 4 of article 15. The Assembly, in his opinion, should proceed to adopt the first eight chapters of the Lytton Report, and also set forth as the League’s principles of settlement those conditions indicated in chapters 9 and 10. Simon [Page 65] said also this was the view which he, as Foreign Secretary, was presenting to his Government.
Simon then read us portions of his speech of December 7 and stated that immediately after he had delivered it he sent for both the Japanese and the Chinese delegates at Geneva and informed them that he had made a speech in the hope that what he had said would inaugurate a policy of conciliation but that he did not want them to misunderstand the position of the British Government as in any way having changed if the policy of conciliation failed. Sir John likewise stated he telegraphed Lindley at that time to explain this to Uchida.
As regards Shanhaikwan, Sir John feels no attempt at mediation should be offered without the full consent of both the Japanese and Chinese. He stated his hesitation to consider any theory for foreign troops to patrol this district as a neutral area since it is entirely uncertain when they might ever be withdrawn. Simon added as Foreign Office opinion, that this Japanese action was rather a local action around Shanhaikwan to control the approach to Jehol rather than a push on to Tientsin and Peiping which would put Japan in direct conflict with all the Treaty Powers and their rights.
Simon said that recent conversations with Matsudaira led him to believe Japanese attitude was a little less aggressive.
Simon asked that anything I telegraphed this evening might not be considered as his final considered reply to the memorandum, which, before Sunday evening,86a he will convey to this Embassy for transmission to Washington.
Simon now intends to leave for Geneva some time Sunday.