893.102 Tientsin/469: Telegram
The Chargé in Japan (Dooman) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 19—10:10 a.m.]
416. Our 415, August 18, 7 p.m.22 The British Embassy showed us a copy of a telegram sent to London giving the substance of the reply the Ambassador received from Kato23 last night. The British Embassy informs us that this telegram has been repeated to their Embassy in Washington. Kato told Sir Robert that he had consulted with the military authorities and the Minister for Foreign Affairs. He said that the Japanese had noticed that the British note was definitely more formal and more uncompromising than the attitude which had been evidenced in the informal conversations between himself and Craigie. The Japanese Government hopes that there has been no change in the British attitude of cooperation. While the Japanese would be glad to discuss economic questions with all interested parties separately they could not enter into a joint conference on these questions. The Japanese Government is at a loss to understand the basis for the introduction of a reference to the Nine-Power treaty and believes that the British Government would not want to submit these problems to all of the signatories to that treaty. Mr. Kato also reiterated his statement made to the British Ambassador yesterday morning to the effect that the police questions could not be considered separately from economic questions.
Kato requested that no summary or publication of the British note be given to the press and indicated the bad effect the introduction of the Nine Power Treaty into the negotiations would have on public opinion in Japan. He said that he was willing to delay his return to China if Craigie could assure him that Great Britain will present its final views within a week or 10 days.
Craigie replied that the attitude of Great Britain had not changed; that he believed Great Britain did not intend necessarily to consult all of the signatories of the Nine Power Treaty but merely those more closely interested in these problems. He volunteered to suggest [Page 236] to [the?] publication of a communiqué which he was sending in a subsequent telegram. A copy of this communiqué was not made available to us but it is believed that it would avoid reference to the Nine Power Treaty but would [set forth] refusal to negotiate an agreement on police questions separately from the economic issues.
The British Embassy stated that it was their belief that a statement would be made in London tomorrow concerning the present status of the Anglo-Japanese negotiations on Tientsin.
Shanghai please repeat to Chungking, Peiping, Tientsin.