793.94/9823: Telegram
The Consul at Geneva (Everett) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 31—1 p.m.]
263. Consulate’s 262, August 30, 9 p.m. and Legation’s 79, August 31, 11 a.m. The Secretariat is definitely of the opinion that the Advisory Committee is still in existence. Local reaction in Secretariat and press circles is that the Chinese note of yesterday is the first step toward a future appeal to the League which the Chinese hope would (a) provoke general discussion of the Sino-Japanese controversy with a resulting favorable world public opinion for China’s case and (b) through a convocation of the Advisory Committee draw the United States into any deliberations which the [Page 9] Committee might hold in the hope that perhaps by so doing the United States might find it difficult to remain further aloof from the general Sino-Japanese situation. There is some difference of opinion as to the procedure the Chinese Government will probably follow if it decides to attempt to provoke such discussion in the Assembly and to effect the convocation of the Advisory Committee. An examination of the resolution of February 24, 1933 (see special supplement number 111 [112] Official Journal) suggests that an appeal under paragraph 3 of article No. 3 of the Covenant might attain those ends.