793.94 Conference/20: Telegram The Ambassador in Belgium (Gibson) to the Secretary of State BRUSSELS, October 14, 1937-5 p. m. [Received October 14-2: 53 p. m.] 85. Last paragraph Department's telegram No. 47, October 13, 1 p. m. I have scrupulously kept before the Belgian Foreign Office the idea that our position was merely that of confirming the statements of the British Ambassador as to our concurrence in the plans for having the Conference in Brussels. I have been in constant touch with my British colleague and you may be sure there is no misconception here as to our role. GIBSON 793.94 Conference/13: Telegram The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew) WASHINGTON, October 14, 1937-5 p. m. 261. Your 470, October 13, 5 p. m. We are considerably perturbed at the indications given by the Japanese Vice Minister both to Bassompierre and Craigie that the Japanese Government was disinterested in the proposed conference of the parties to the Nine Power Treaty and could not see the purpose of holding such a meeting. I should be glad to have you call on the Minister for Foreign Affairs 96 and indicate orally that this Government is proceeding on the assumption that the Japanese Government will attend, believing as we do, that the proposed conference will offer a useful opportunity for a reasoned and frank discussion of the difficulties, both present and underlying, of the situation with a view to seeking to arrive at a constructive solution by process of peaceful agreement. If the time element is raised in conversation you should make it clear that in the opinion of this Government the meeting should be held in the immediate future. The British Ambassador, we understand, is being instructed to make a somewhat similar démarche. You should await, before acting, information of his having received such instruction. HULL 06 Koki Hirota. 205655-54- 6 793.94 Conference/22: Telegram The Chargé in Italy (Reed) to the Secretary of State ROME, October 14, 1937-6 p. m. [Received October 14-2:31 p. m.] 441. The following indications are believed to point to an unreceptive attitude on the part of the Italian Government toward proposal to call a Conference of signatories to the Nine Power Treaty: 1. The Government Press Bureau informed foreign correspondents on October 11 that Italy considered the Treaty as having been dead since 1932. The correspondents were also told that Italy would positively decline to accept an invitation to confer which was in any way connected with or sponsored by the League of Nations and would probably not even take the trouble to acknowledge such an invitation. 2. The concluding statement contained in Italy's note of October 9 to Great Britain and France (see my telegram number 440, October 10, 11 a. m.97) would seem to preclude Italian participation in any event unless Germany is also included. 3. Italian sympathy with Japan's attitude and aspirations as revealed in recent press comment seems very pronounced and it is evident that a successful effort has been made to convince the Italian public that the proposed conference is intended to be an admonitory gesture by the so-called democratic powers against Italy's friend and prototype in the Far East. I am informed that Italy has been in consultation with Portugal regarding the proposed Conference. REED 793.94 Conference/21: Telegram The Ambassador in Belgium (Gibson) to the Secretary of State BRUSSELS, October 14, 1937-6 p. m. [Received October 14-2:24 p. m.] 86. My telegram No. 84, October 14, 1 p. m.98 Baron Guillaume, Belgian Ambassador to China now in Brussels, being sent to London tonight to discuss with the British Government the method of issuing invitations to the Conference. The Belgian attitude as expressed today at the Foreign Office is that while happy to offer hospitality to the Conference if the other signatories so desire the Government is anxious to avoid giving the impression that Belgium is seeking to play a leading role. It is felt that some formula should be agreed upon which would make it clear that Belgium is acting in concert with certain other powers and at their instance rather than on her own initiative. Repeated to London. "Vol. 1, p. 414. GIBSON 98 Not printed. 793.94 Conference/25: Telegram The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Johnson) to the Secretary of State LONDON, October 15, 1937-1 p. m. [Received October 15-9: 08 a. m.] 650. Brussels' 86, October 14, 6 p. m. The Foreign Office informs me that Baron Guillaume is now in consultation with them as to ways and means. It cannot be yet officially stated that the Belgians will accept the proposal but Foreign Office says there is every reason to believe they will. It will be very much appreciated by the Foreign Office if the Department can telegraph immediately how soon after the invitations are issued the American delegation can arrive. If the Belgians are to issue the invitation they desire to name a specific date.9* JOHNSON 793.94 Conference/27: Telegram The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Johnson) to the Secretary of State LONDON, October 15, 1937-8 p. m. [Received October 15-noon.] 651. My 650, October 15, 1 p. m. At the request of a Foreign Office official I have met with him and with Baron Guillaume. Baron Guillaume expressed the Belgian attitude very much as indicated in Brussels' 86, October 14, 6 p. m. I understand from him that what the Belgian Government desires to do is to extend the invitation saying that they are doing so "at the request of the American and British Governments". The Foreign Office is quite willing for this expression to be used about the British Government and Baron Guillaume has inquired whether the United States will object. He said that in the event that the United States should object they would propose to say that the invitation is being extended "at the request of the British Government and that the request of the British Government has received the support of the United States". Baron Guillaume said that his Government had no objection whatever in principle to extending the invitation under the conditions stated and of offering Brussels as the place of meeting but that his Government feels strongly that the invitation should be so worded as to make it clear that Belgium is not principal party in the undertaking nor its initiator. Baron Guillaume returns to Belgium tonight and it was the earnestly expressed "The Department replied in telegram No. 420, October 15, 11 a. m., that the American delegation could arrive in Brussels about October 29 or 30 (793.94 Conference/31a). wish of both the Foreign Office and Baron Guillaume that the Department might find it possible to telegraph immediately whether or not it objects to the invitation being extended "at the request of the American and British Governments", or alternatively "at the request of the British Government which has received the support of the United States Government". Both the British and the Belgians hope we will approve the first formula. The Foreign Office is urging on the Belgians the need for immediate action and in fact the Foreign Office is very desirous of issuing a press communiqué tonight if possible. JOHNSON 793.94 Conference/26: Telegram The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State TOKYO, October 15, 1937-5 p. m. [Received October 15-8: 40 a. m.] 475. Department's 261, October 14, 5 p. m. 1. I precisely carried out the Department's instructions in an interview with the Minister for Foreign Affairs at 4 p. m., this afternoon. Hirota replied that no invitation to attend such a conference had yet been received by the Japanese Government and that therefore no decision had yet been reached but that "according to the present tendency within the Government such an invitation would be declined”. 2. Having carried out my instructions I then said to the Minister that I would like to discuss the matter informally and I then elaborated in my own words the Department's views and brought out various arguments in favor of Japan's participation. The Minister informally replied that as the League of Nations had already formally taken the part of China against Japan such a conference would be useless and that far from providing a basis for an earlier termination of the hostilities it would in fact result in prolonging the hostilities by persuading China that with foreign support she can afford to continue the warfare. The Minister said that a discussion of terms for peace would be superfluous because he has been discussing these terms with Chiang Kai Shek during the past 4 years and that “in general" these terms are embodied in his announced three points. The Minister said that the Sino-Soviet Pact1 which he believes to contain unpublished clauses has rendered much more difficult an early solution of the difficulties. 3. My British colleague is making similar representations today. 1 Signed at Nanking, August 21, League of Nations Treaty Series, vol. CLXXXI, p. 101. 4. Craigie has confirmed to me the observation made to him by the Vice Minister on October 12 as reported in our 470, October 13, 5 p. m., paragraph numbered 3. Craigie, however, says that he has not reported these observations to his Government because they were made in informal conversation. GREW 793.94 Conference/32: Telegram The Ambassador in Belgium (Gibson) to the Secretary of State BRUSSELS, October 15, 1937-6 p. m. [Received October 15-5: 40 p. m.] 87. My telegram No. 86, October 14, 6 p. m. Have learned the following confidentially from the Foreign Office: Guillaume reported this afternoon from London that tentative formula has been worked out which will be submitted to you this afternoon before referring it to Brussels. German Minister in The Hague has approached Dutch Foreign Minister with the suggestion that Conference might take place there and in the absence of responsive attitude on the part of Foreign Minister stated that the logical next best would appear to be Brussels. (I report this as of possible significance in that Germany would hardly be taking active interest in the matter unless it were convinced that there was some possibility of Italian participation.) Spokesman of Japanese Foreign Office has stated that the Belgian Ambassador at Tokyo had made inquiry as to whether Japan would attend the Conference; that he was informed that Japan had not decided against participation but that a decision would be reached when it was made clear that Japan was not invited to appear as the accused. The Belgian Ambassador had no instructions; therefore Foreign Office is convinced that he made nothing more than normal inquiries in order to inform himself as to the situation and it is inferred that the Japanese Government seized upon this as an opportunity to counteract the wide publicity that had been given to Japanese intentions to refuse participation. GIBSON 793.94 Conference/73 Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State (Wilson) of a Trans-Atlantic Telephone Conversation With the Chargé in the United Kingdom (Johnson) [WASHINGTON,] October 15, 1937. As instructed by the Secretary, I told Mr. Herschel Johnson that we were willing to have the Belgians utilize a formula reading as |