Memorandum on Japanese Declaration on Shantung

___________________________________________________________________(originating copy)

UNDERSTAND CURZON IS INTERESTED IN PROPOSALS MADE BY US TO JAPANESE BY WAY OF PERSUADING LATTER TO MAKE A DECLARATION REGARDING SHANTUNG.FACTS AS FOLLOWS: PRESIDENT ASKED LANSING TO SUGGEST TO MAKINO THAT JAPANESE SHOULD MAKE STATEMENT. LANSING PUT BEFORE MAKINO ON JUNE 28 A DRAFT OF POINTS WHICH UNITED STATES HOPED JAPAN WOULD CONSIDER AS BASIS, IN SUBSTANCE, FOR A DECLARATION. DECLARATION TO BE MADE VOLUNTARILY BY JAPANESE AS OF OWN INITIATIVE. OBJECTS: TO IMPROVE SITUATION BY LETTING IT BE DEFINITELY KNOWN WHAT JAPAN CONTEMPLATES SPECIFICALLY UNDER TERMS OF PREVIOUSLY GENERAL STATEMENT THAT SHE INTENDS TO 'RESTORE SHANTUNG TO CHINA'; THUS PERHAPS TERMINATE AGITATION, BOYCOTT AND ILL WILL, ALSO DECREASE ADVERSE OPINION AND ARGUMENT OF OPPOSITION IN THE UNITED STATES SO FAR AS BASED ON SHANTUNG DECISION IN THE TREATY.MAKINO DEMURRED. SAID PUBLIC OPINION IN JAPAN WOULD NOT STAND FOR THIS, BUT TOOK A COPY OF THE DRAFT PROPOSAL. LANSING SOON AFTERWARDS INFORMED BALFOUR AND CLEMENCEAU AND GAVE EACH A COPY OF THE DRAFT, SUGGESTING THAT THEY ADVISE THE JAPANESE AS TO THEIR VIEWS OF THE ADVISABILITY OF JAPAN'S MAKING A DECLARATION.CONFIDENTIAL: BALFOUR APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN PUTTING US OFF WITH ASSURANCES, NOT CONSULTING OR INFORMING HIS OWN PEOPLE AND NOT SPEAKING TO THE JAPANESE. WE ARE NOW INFORMED ON EXCELLENT AUTHORITY THAT IT WAS BALFOUR WHO PERSUADED LLOYD GEORGE AGAINST THE LATTER'S CONTRARY JUDGMENT TO SUPPORT THE JAPANESE IN SECURING THE SHANTUNG DECISION. CLEMENCEAU APPEARS TO BE CONSIDERING OUR PROPOSAL FAVORABLY AND WE ARE HOPING FOR ACTION BY HIM.ON THURSDAY LAST, BALFOUR ASKED FOR ANOTHER COPY OF OUR DRAFT PROPOSALS. WE ARE INFORMED BY BRITISH EXPERT THAT A COPY OF SAME AND AN ACCOUNT OF OUR EXPLANATION AND VIEWS HAS NOW BEEN FORWARDED TO CURZONGeorge N. Curzon.WE REPRESENT THAT A JAPANESE DECLARATION MUST BE VOLUNTARY IN APPEARANCE, BUT MUST BE PUBLIC, FORMAL, SUCH THAT IT CAN BE CONSIDERED A DEFINITE ENGAGEMENT, SPECIFIC AND COMPREHENSIVE.THE JAPANESE OBVIOUSLY WISH TO DEAL WITH THE CHINESE DIRECTLY AND EXCLUSIVELY, WANT THE CHINESE TO APPROACH THEM, AND WOULD PREFER TO NEGOTIATE AT PEKING. SUCH PROCEDURE WE FEEL OPEN TO UNDESIRABLE :POSSIBILITIES.WE SUGGEST THAT YOU SEE CURZONGeorge N. Curzon AND URGE THAT WE CONSIDER INDEPENDENT ADVICE BY THE BRITISH TO THE JAPANESE HIGHLY DESIRABLE. EXPLAIN THAT THE CHINESE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH SUGGESTING, FRAMING, OR DETERMINING SUBSTANCE OF OUR PROPOSALS. STATEMENTS MADE BY CHINESE MINISTER IN LONDON TO FOREIGN OFFICE OFFICIAL WERE INDEPENDENT OF AND IN IGNORANCE OF OUR HAVING MWADE PROPOSALS. OUR PROPOSALS REPRESENT THE PRESIDENT'S AND MR LANSING'S VIEWS AS TO POLICY AND COURSE OF ACTION THE PURSUIT OF WHICH BY JAPAN WOULD BE OF ADVANTAGE TO ALL CONCERNED. WE HOPE CURZONGeorge N. Curzon WILL CONCUR. GIVE US SUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE REGARDING CURZON'S ATTITUDE AND ACTION. PRESIDENT AND STATE SDEPARTMENT HAVE STATED IN UNITED STATES THAT IT IS EXPECTED THAT JAPAN WILL MAKE A DECLARATION. WE DO NOT WISH THAT THE MATTER BE GIVEN PUBLICITY.