793.94/6609
Memorandum by the Secretary of State
The Chinese Minister called and stated that he had been attempting to see me for some days, under instruction from his government, but that I had been absent since the 20th of April until this morning. He said that his best information was that a representative of China at Tokyo was informed directly, and he thinks accurately, that the statement, recently emanating from Tokyo through a so-called official press representative, in which Japan in effect was announcing her domination of Asia, was given to the press without consultation with Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Hirota; that the Minister was only shown the statement after it had been broadcast to the world through the press; and that it was entirely out of harmony with the Minister’s plans of placating the United States and other countries and promoting friendly relations, in accordance with announcements and steps heretofore made and taken by the Foreign Office of Japan. The Chinese Minister said he thought this was the truth of the incident. He then stated that his government had instructed him to propound three questions to me. First, what was my reaction to this entire Japanese development? Second, what steps did my government contemplate taking with respect to these pronouncements coming out of Japan? Third, whether this government, as a ranking signer of the Nine-Power Treaty, would be disposed to convene the parties to this treaty for purpose of consultation? To all of which I replied that I was industriously proceeding to assemble accurately and as nearly official as possible, all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the entire problem presented, and that in the meantime there was nothing I could say to him with respect to any of his inquiries. He seemed somewhat disappointed and pressed further for some sort of expressions from me, but each time I repeated my first answer to him. He then inquired when he might see me and get something more definite and informative. I replied that it was not possible to be exactly certain as to just what time, but that he was at perfect liberty to keep in [Page 137] touch with the Department at any and all times with the view to availing himself of the benefit of such information as might be permissible to impart to him.