793.94/9231
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs (Hornbeck)
The Chinese Ambassador called this morning at his own request at 11:30. The Ambassador stated that there is developing in China an extensive battle front and that a major battle may begin soon. The Secretary asked certain questions with regard to place and to command. The Ambassador indicated a battle front sweeping in a curve from Nankow Pass southwestward of Peiping and eastward, south of Tientsin, to the sea. He said that the line would be an average distance from Peiping of about 25 miles and south of Tientsin of about 40 miles.
The Ambassador then said that what he wanted to speak about was the Nine Power Treaty. He said that, as he had stated to the Secretary on the occasion of his last call, he was informed that the British Foreign Minister had spoken to the American Ambassador in London on that subject, and that he now was informed that the French Government was interested in the subject; it seemed that the British and the French Governments wanted to cooperate or collaborate with the American Government in regard to the Nine Powder Treaty. The Secretary spoke to the effect that, as he had stated to the Ambassador in the previous conversation to which the Ambassador referred, he did not wish to undertake to speak for the British Government or about its position. He said that we had published a statement54 of our position and had urged upon other governments that they take a position with regard to the subjects about which he had spoken. We were keeping on the alert with regard to every phase of the situation. We were being guided by developments. There was no new development regarding the Nine Power Treaty and nothing new that he could say in regard to it. The Secretary asked Mr. Hornbeck whether that was not a complete account of the situation. Mr. Hornbeck replied that it was absolutely such, and that there was nothing new on the subject of the Nine Power Treaty. The Secretary then said again that he could not speak for the British Government. The Ambassador spoke to the effect that what he really wished to know was what was our attitude on the subject of invoking or [Page 334] appealing to the Nine Power Treaty. The Secretary, in reply, said that we could not speak, in advance of developments, of what we would do if and as events occurred. (He made it clear that he was not going to make any commitment on the subject of the Nine Power Treaty.) He asked whether he had not made his position clear. The Ambassador replied to the effect that it had not become clear to him. He said that the British Foreign Minister had told the Chinese Ambassador in London that he, the Foreign Minister, had talked with the American Ambassador there on the subject of collaboration under the Nine Power Treaty. The Secretary spoke again of our endeavor to be guided by developments as they take place without making definite commitments on the subject of future action. He said that he thought the Ambassador could make forecasts for himself. The Ambassador said that he thought he understood.
The Secretary then asked whether Mr. Hornbeck had any suggestions or would wish to make any comment, Mr. Hornbeck said that, in the light of what had preceded, he wondered whether there was any reason why it would not be appropriate for the Chinese Ambassador in London to ask the British Minister for Foreign Affairs just what the British had said to us on the subject of the Nine Power Treaty.
The Ambassador then asked whether there was any news that we could give him. He mentioned the subject of exchange of information. He expressed the hope that our nationals were being “taken care of.” The Secretary spoke to the effect that we had no special information over and above the information which appears in the press. He said we had no reporters located in inside circles with the interested governments. He asked whether Mr. Hornbeck had anything to mention, and Mr. Hornbeck replied that the press accounts, when reduced to a least common denominator, seemed to give about the same picture of the situation as that produced by synthesizing the reports which come in from official sources.
- July 16, vol. i, p. 699.↩