793.94/10545: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Davies) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 9—8:50 a.m.]
256. Referring to my telegram No. 255, October 7, 8 p.m.,99 the following occurrence which took place this afternoon may be of some interest.
1. Nishi, Counselor of the Japanese Embassy, called upon Henderson, my First Secretary, and asked him if he had any confirmation of the rumor that Bogomolov, the Soviet Ambassador to China, was in Moscow and whether he possessed any information other than that appearing in the press regarding the President’s speech and reported changes in American policies with respect to the Far East.
2. After Henderson had answered both questions in the negative the Counselor voluntarily discussed the Far East situation at some length alleging that, encouraged by the recent attitude of the League [Page 587] of Nations, the Soviet Government was becoming more and more overbearing towards Japan and no one knew how far it might eventually go. He indicated that there was even a possibility that the Soviet Government would attempt without becoming itself involved to send Mongolian troops to the assistance of China.
Stating that difficulties in the Japanese concessions in North Sakhalin were due entirely to the provocative attitude of the Soviet authorities, he said that Japan feels that the Soviet Government is making every effort to persuade the League of Nations and even powers outside the League to declare an economic boycott on Japan and that under cover of this boycott the Soviet Government hopes to cancel the Sakhalin and fisheries concessions and take other measures which would permanently damage Japanese economic interests. He added that if Litvinov is successful in creating a solid front of League members against Japan a conflict is likely to ensue which will involve all Europe and Asia.
3. In attaching significance to this call it should be known that Tuesday I had arranged luncheon conferences with the Chinese, Italian, German, Japanese and other Ambassadors and Ministers covering the whole week and had been obliged to cancel the German, Japanese and subsequent luncheons because I was confined to bed with a severe cold. Possibly the Japanese Ambassador attached significance to this cancellation.
4. As a matter of fact I personally have strong reason to believe the rumor of Bogomolov’s presence here is correct and that his visit is of considerable importance.1