500.A15A5/254: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chairman of the American Delegation (Davis)
20. Your 31, November 13, 9 p.m. and 34, November 14, 2 p.m. While we approve the line taken by you as reported in No. 34, we feel that toward any further discussion of such project, you should adopt an attitude receptive only, with no indication of particular interest in the proposal, but expressing, whenever approached, a view that bilateral pacts of this type with Japan would become obstacles to the principles for which the British and the American Governments stand in regard to situations in the Far East; that any multilateral treaty of this type should include at least the five most concerned powers, among them China; and would probably need to include more; and that any proposal for the conclusion of such a treaty should envisage the inclusion of some kind of definition of aggression and prescription of limitations upon use of force by any power against or on the territory of another.