793.94119/422
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs (Hamilton) of a Conversation With Mr. Earl H. Cressy, of the Associated Boards for Christian Colleges in China, New York
During the course of a call Mr. Cressy outlined to me some of the difficulties with which American mission and educational institutions were confronted as a result of the present situation in China.
Mr. Cressy said that while in Tokyo en route to the United States he had talked with Mr. Horinouchi, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, and that during the conversation Mr. Horinouchi had intimated that the time might be ripe for mediation in the Sino-Japanese conflict by a friendly power. Mr. Cressy said that he had reported this remark to Ambassador Grew and that Ambassador Grew had asked Mr. Cressy to communicate the remark to the Department. Mr. Cressy said that he was now doing that.
At an earlier point in the conversation Mr. Cressy had remarked that as the situation now stood there was no course open to China but to continue to fight. I referred to that remark and said that it was very difficult for me to conceive of any terms of peace which would be mutually acceptable to both China and Japan. Mr. Cressy stated that he concurred and that in his opinion, much as he deplored the fighting, the fighting must continue for a further period before there would be any practical basis for peace.
Mr. Cressy said that the suggestion had been made to him by Japanese in Japan that it might be useful for a small representative group of Japanese Christians to meet with a similar group of Chinese to see whether they could bring about a better understanding of their respective positions to the end that they might possibly formulate a program for bringing about peace between the two countries. Mr. Cressy said that he realized that there was only one chance in a thousand of such a meeting bringing about the desired end but that he was inclined to favor the bringing together of such a Chinese-Japanese group. He said that the Chinese and Japanese chosen would be responsible individuals who, although private citizens, had ready access to governmental persons. Mr. Cressy asked me what I thought of this project. I inquired whether the meeting would be attended solely by Chinese and Japanese or whether Americans would be involved. He said that possibly one American, perhaps himself, might undertake the arrangement of such a meeting but that the meeting as such would be essentially between the Chinese and Japanese. I said that in regard to an American private citizen becoming involved in any matter which might smack of mediation, the Department had of course very definite [Page 167] views to the general effect that such activity on the part of an American citizen was inappropriate and the question of mediation could best be handled through normal diplomatic channels. I said that from Mr. Cressy’s description of the project I judged that it was essentially a meeting between Japanese and Chinese private citizens and that I could see no objection to such a meeting. I added that, speaking personally, I agreed with a previous remark made by him that meetings between such Chinese and Japanese groups might possibly tend to bring about better understanding and appreciation on the part of each of the other’s point of view and might therefore be constructive in results.