Sino-Japanese Dispute.

With reference to telegrams No. 138 and 139 [1] the United States
Government have expressed themselves as being willing to join in
the offer of good offices to China and Japan. His Britannic
Majesty's Ambassador in Tokyo [2] is convinced as a result of
further enquiries he has made there that such an offer would in
present circumstances be premature. The State Department, in the
light of information it has received shares this view. It is
apparently still the hope of the Japanese Government that it will
be able to compel China to negotiate direct and under the present
conditions it would accept the good offices of Britain and America
only insofar as they would contribute to this end.

HOOD