893.01 Provisional/72: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China (Johnson), at Hankow
105. Nanking’s 75, March 14, 2 p.m.
1. The Department is telegraphing Nanking as follows:
“The information conveyed in your telegram under reference has been noted with interest.
With regard to the comment made by you to your informant that America’s only interest was to see peace and order restored as quickly as possible, etc., the Department is confident that you are keeping in mind the fact that a fundamental interest of this Government is not only that peace be restored as soon as possible but that the settlement by which peace is restored shall be on lines consistent with the provisions of existing international commitments and with principles of equity and justice in relation to all concerned”.
2. You will realize, of course, that, in the existing circumstances of tension and conflict in various parts of the world, all officers of the American Government who have occasion to make statements relating to American national interest or policy should be extraordinarily careful in their phrasing of such statements.
3. Please repeat to Shanghai and Peiping and ask Peiping to repeat to Tokyo.