Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1937, The Far East, Volume III

793.94/8716: Telegram

The Counselor of Embassy in China ( Peck ) to the Secretary of State

Nanking , July 12, 1937—3 p.m.
[Received July 12—10:30 a.m.]

265. My 263, July 12, 10 a.m.

1. An Australian press correspondent today telephoned Atcheson⁶⁵ asking his opinion regarding the results which would follow if the Chinese Government were to suggest to the British and American Governments the advisability of representations from them to the Japanese and Chinese Governments urging moderation in the present crisis. He observed that a favorable opportunity for such representations in the case of the British was presented by the present Anglo-Japanese conversations in London and that similar steps taken by the American Government in the past afforded a precedent.

2. The correspondent named was Timperley, representing Manchester Guardian and Christian Science Monitor. Significance is given his inquiry by his known collaboration in drafting of the Foreign Office statement yesterday (see my 261, July 12, 8 a.m. [p.m.]^65a and his relations with Hu Shih and other leading intellectuals influential with the Foreign Office.

3. Atcheson replied that he did not know what the reaction in Washington would be to such a suggestion and that he assumed the Chinese Ambassador in Washington knew by now how the ground lay.

4. To the Department and Peiping.

Peck

65. George Atcheson, Jr., Second Secretary of Embassy in China at Nanking.
66. Post, p. 148.