760C.93 Manchuria/7
The Ambassador in Poland (Biddle) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 30.]
Sir: I have the honor to forward herewith a copy of the Warsaw Monitor Polski, the official journal of the Polish Republic, dated December 7, 1938, which contains on pages 2–4 the text in the English language of the notes exchanged at Tokyo on October 19, 1938, between [Page 487] the Polish and the Manchukuoan Ambassadors at that capital providing for consular relations and regulating right of establishment and trade between Poland and “Manchukuo”.
Competent officials of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated to the Embassy that this exchange of communications “is not regarded as constituting formal recognition of ‘Manchukuo’ by Poland, but rather as meeting in a practical way the problems inevitably arising out of the residence in ‘Manchukuo’ of numerous Polish nationals and the trade between Poland and ‘Manchukuo’.” I understand that the British Embassy at Warsaw inquired of the Polish Foreign Office whether this exchange amounted to recognition and was informed that it did not in words somewhat similar to those used in the later comment to a member of my staff and quoted above. Officials of the Foreign Office likewise observed that this exchange had been improperly interpreted in some circles in implying to Poland the intent to recognize “Manchukuo” thereby.
It is, however, quite generally accepted at Warsaw, as pointed out in my despatch No. 741 of October 19, 1938,36 that Poland by this exchange has paved the way for de jure recognition of “Manchukuo” and that such recognition will take place in the not too distant future unless unforeseen events of political character interfere to make such action highly undesirable from the Polish point of view.
Respectfully yours,
- Not printed.↩