793.94/8822: Telegram
The Ambassador in Italy (Phillips) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 17—2 p.m.]
333. My 332, July 17, 1 p.m.31 The British Ambassador here discussed the Sino-Japanese crisis with the Minister of Foreign Affairs here yesterday and Count Ciano told him that the Italian Government naturally viewed with concern the recent developments in the Far East and that although Italian interests there were not of great importance he fully realized that an outbreak of hostilities between China and Japan would inevitably produce consequences the magnitude and extent of which could not be foreseen and from which no country might regard itself as immune. He added that whereas Italy entertained a feeling of sympathy for Japan, especially as a result of the Japanese recognition of the Empire, the Italian Government did not wish to see Japanese aggression in China and in conclusion informed the British Ambassador that he proposed to instruct the Italian representatives in China and Japan to counsel moderation.
The Japanese Ambassador here is inclined to a pessimistic view as to a peaceful solution of the crisis and points out that although the Japanese Government is understood to be confining the shipment of reinforcements to Dairen a concentration of Chinese forces in that part might give rise to incidents which would be developed into a general conflict. He added that the Japanese Government viewed with resentment the reported action of the French Government whereby Delbos in a conversation with the Japanese representative in Paris is said to have offered his “good offices” in the conflict and that this démarche was regarded in Tokyo as inspired from Moscow.
- Not printed.↩