793.94/11896
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs (Hamilton)
Dr. Hu Shih, the eminent Chinese philosopher who was received by the Secretary and by the President some weeks ago, called on me this morning at his request. He said that he was very much concerned as to what he should report back to China, on the question whether any new development might be expected in the international situation which would be of benefit to China. He commented at length in regard to this matter and when he asked me for my views I said that I could not undertake to answer his query. I said, however, that so far as the United States was concerned there was nothing new on that subject.
Dr. Hu Shih said that in traveling about the United States and discussing the Far Eastern situation with representative Americans, he often was asked the question as to why the American Government either singly or in cooperation with the British Government could not mediate. He said that he replied to such questions by stating that in his opinion there were very real difficulties which the average person did not appreciate; that in any mediation there would almost certainly come up the question of China’s recognition of “Manchukuo” and of other matters not consistent with principles to which the American Government and the American people were committed; that if the American Government undertook to mediate and as a [Page 791] result of that mediation China accepted harsh terms some of which would be repugnant to the concepts and beliefs of the American people, the American people would severely criticize the Government. He said that the foreign powers could adopt a policy of non-recognition in regard to “Manchukuo” and could rest on that declaration of policy. He said that such a course was not possible for China; that China had to deal with Japan in countless ways every day; that as a result of China’s unwillingness to recognize “Manchukuo” there had ensued constant friction between China and Japan, and Japan had made constant incursions of one sort or another into north China. (Comment: In view of this statement by Dr. Hu Shih, the question arises whether the non-recognition doctrine as applied to “Manchukuo” represents a service or a disservice to China.)
Dr. Hu Shih said that China had already twice declined offers of mediation put forth by the German Ambassador to China. He said that the first such offer had been made during the early days of the Brussels Conference and the second offer was made during the recent visit of the German Ambassador to Nanking. Dr. Hu Shih referred to a statement made by the American or the British delegate to the Brussels Conference to the effect that a settlement must be reached between China and Japan which would be in accordance with commonly accepted principles of justice among mankind. He asked how that was possible in the present situation. He said that if China could not look for mediation on the part of countries like the United States and Great Britain, what was there left for China to do. I told him that I wished that I could answer his questions but that I could not do so.