793.94/7160
Memorandum by the Under Secretary of State (Phillips)
During the British Ambassador’s call upon me yesterday, I referred to the exchange of views which he and I had had with respect to the situation in North China. I reminded him that he had brought a message from the Foreign Office inviting this Government to take certain steps in Tokyo along the lines of the British action; that Ambassador Clive had apparently not carried out fully his instructions from the British Government with respect to Japanese intentions in North China; at the same time the Japanese Ambassador in Washington had given the Secretary of State certain assurances, which I reminded the Ambassador I had already read to him. I said I assumed that, since we had heard nothing more from him (the Ambassador), his Government had decided to let matters rest without taking any further action in Tokyo. I said that, in view of the assurances which we had received and the attitude of the Chinese Government itself, we had come to the same conclusion. I said I had noticed a recent statement by Sir Samuel Hoare8 in Parliament, which was in sympathy with this idea—that there was nothing to be gained at the present time by representations to Japan.
I reminded Sir Ronald that we were always desirous of cooperating with the British in this situation and that I mentioned it now only to reiterate that the views of both our Governments seemed to be running along the same lines.
- New British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.↩