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DEPARTMENT OF STATE PUBLICATION 5545

For sale by the

Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington 25, D.C. - Price $4 (Buckram)

CONTENTS

(NOTE: For previously published correspondence on relations between
the United States and Japan in 1937, see Foreign Relations, Japan,
1931-1941, Volumes I and II. Documents printed in those volumes
have not been reprinted in the 1937 annual volumes.)

UNDECLARED WAR BETWEEN JAPAN AND CHINA (continued from Volume

III):

American representation at committee meetings of the League of Nations

in Geneva and at the Brussels Conference, convened in virtue of

article 7 of the Washington Nine-Power Treaty of February 6, 1922,

concerning China:

Chapter I: The League phase at Geneva

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UNDECLARED WAR BETWEEN JAPAN AND CHINA

(Continued from Volume III)

AMERICAN REPRESENTATION AT COMMITTEE MEETINGS OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS IN GENEVA AND AT THE BRUSSELS CONFERENCE, CONVENED IN VIRTUE OF ARTICLE 7 OF THE WASHINGTON NINE-POWER TREATY OF FEBRUARY 6, 1922, CONCERNING CHINA1

793.94/8957: Telegram

Chapter I: The League Phase at Geneva

The Consul at Geneva (Gilbert) to the Secretary of State

GENEVA, July 24, 1937-11 a. m. [Received July 24-9: 50 a. m.]

247. Learning that the Herald Tribune Geneva correspondent had sent a despatch implying that the Chinese delegation here is considering bringing the dispute with Japan before the League, I sought an occasion to discuss the matter with Hoo.2 He assured me that the press despatch is absolutely without foundation.

The Minister then confidentially exposed China's position vis-à-vis the League as follows. What action China might [take?] with Geneva would depend entirely on developments in Asia and any action whatsoever at present was regarded as entirely inopportune. Nanking perceived the League as of no value in preventing a conflict, the rousing of world opinion being considered fruitless without material action and if taken on Chinese initiative susceptible of producing the dangerous adverse effect of stiffening Japanese opposition in a manner to hinder a settlement. He said that China would not consider doing anything at Geneva except in case of the development of a major conflict. In such an event with everything to gain and nothing to lose China would undoubtedly endeavor to obtain the maximum of League support. In such an eventuality, referring to the Manchukuo affair, he said, however, that China would approach the League from a different angle, that she would not ask the League to effect a settlement but would request the League to impose sanctions against the

1 For other correspondence, see vol. III, pp. 596-797, and Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931-1941, vol. 1, pp. 373-422, passim; also, Department of State Conference Series No. 37: The Conference of Brussels, November 3-24, 1937, Convened in Virtue of Article 7 of the Nine-Power Treaty of Washington of 1922 (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1938).

2 Victor Chitsai Hoo, Chinese Minister in Switzerland.

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