793.94/9312
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs (Hornbeck) of a Conversation Between the Secretary of State and the Chinese Ambassador (C. T. Wang)
The Ambassador called this morning at 11 o’clock at his own request.
The Secretary opened the conversation by inquiring after the health and comfort of the Ambassador and his family. The Ambassador [Page 307] replied with thanks and stated that personally he and his people here were well and comfortable but that they were going through a hard period (in regard to matters in China). The Secretary said that for his own information and orientation he would like to ask a few questions, and he put various questions with reference to the position and movements of Chinese and Japanese troops in north China. The Ambassador said that the 29th Army seemed to have retired to the west and south of the Yungting River and that he thought that the Japanese have about 30,000 men in the area of hostilities, perhaps more.
The Ambassador then said that he had been thinking over the question of possible ways and means of cooperation. He would like to know what we were thinking about the Nine Power Treaty. He had gained the impression from reports received from the Chinese Ambassador in London that the British Government was inclined toward taking a stronger position provided the American Government would go along but were saying the American Government inclined to hold back. He would like to know whether that was true. If it is true and if it should become known to the Chinese, who are always friendly to the United States, it would have an unfortunate effect. The Secretary said that if the Ambassador was prepared to show us anything to that effect we would give it consideration. The Ambassador said that that was the impression that he got from London and he would like to know our impression of the British Government’s position. The Secretary said that he would have to leave it to the British Government to speak of that, as, if he undertook to interpret the British Government’s position, he might easily give a wrong impression. The Ambassador inquired: How about consultation under the Nine Power Treaty? He said that he was speaking not under instruction but on his own initiative. The Secretary said that we and the British had been constantly in consultation and that we had been giving consideration to all angles and phases of the situation and were neglecting nothing. He repeated that he must refrain from trying to speak for the British.
The Ambassador then said that there was another matter about which he would like to speak: the question of H. H. Kung’s negotiation for a credit. (Note: See separate memorandum.30)
At the end of the conversation, the Secretary said that the situation in north China is a heartbreaking situation. The Ambassador said that it was indeed, and he went on to say that he himself was terribly distressed over the destruction of Nankai University, an institution which represented the life work of his good friend Chang Po-lin; especially the very fine library. He said that the Japanese had not [Page 308] succeeded in destroying some of the well constructed buildings with their bombs and had then deliberately used kerosene and set fires.
- Not printed.↩