793.94/8936: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:23 p.m.]
282. Cowan,71 British Embassy, informed me today under instructions of his Ambassador that the British Ambassador had seen Chiang Kai-shek on the 21st. Chiang Kai-shek agreed with British Ambassador’s definition of his position as having the appearance of being perilously like a dilemma between disappearance before an outburst of popular feeling or resistance to Japan. Chiang informed British Ambassador that the only chance of a settlement was for the British and American Governments to approach Japan and urge a peaceful solution. Chiang expressed himself as being very anxious to reach a peaceful solution which would be consistent with the four points of his declaration reported to the Department in Nanking’s 305, July 20, 11 a.m. British Ambassador suggested possibility of negotiations based on agreements arrived at in Tientsin but Chiang stated he was unwilling to accept agreements reached here because of uncertainty as to details regarding the suppression of anti-Japanese agitation and anti-Communism.
British Ambassador suggested that Chiang inform Japanese of his willingness to negotiate but Chiang stated that he thought it would be better for the British Government to do this. British Ambassador explained why British Government could not. Chiang stated that it was no use for him to do it at the present time as it would seem like weakness for one thing, and for another, a “guarantor” was necessary to insure against distortions and unfair interpretations of any agreement. Chiang stated that his four points represented his “last ditch”.
I told Cowan that I would communicate this to you. I stated that it was just as impossible for us to act as it was for the British.
Cowan agrees with me that at the moment local situation is very much improved. Sung Che Yuan appears to be complying with [Page 249] Japanese demand for elimination of 37th Division from the immediate neighborhood of Peiping.
Repeated to Nanking and Tokyo.
- David John Cowan, First Secretary of the British Embassy in China.↩