793.94/9938
Memorandum by the Adviser on Political Relations (Hornbeck)
It is believed that reply should be made to the Chinese Ambassador’s inquiry, to the effect, as regards the question whether we would support action in the nature of an appeal by China to the League of Nations, that, in case China makes such an appeal and in case the League takes the matter up, this Government’s action may be expected to be along such lines, in support of League action, as were followed by this Government in 1931–1933 in connection with the Manchuria situation: namely, action in general support of an effort to bring hostilities [Page 6] to an end and to prepare the way for a settlement by pacific means, by preserving and practicing full right of independent judgment.
It is believed that, in reference to the question of our taking the lead toward “invoking” the Nine Power Treaty, this Government should continue to avoid making any commitment on that subject. In case a telegram is sent to several powers asking for public utterances on the part of their Foreign Offices in expression of their present attitude regarding the Chinese-Japanese crisis, that telegram might be sent to each of the powers signatory to the Nine Power Treaty and the Chinese Government might be informed that such a telegram has been sent, but without its being stated that the powers addressed are the signatories of the Nine Power Treaty.