CO129-560-15 Traffic of arms to China 18-2-1937 - 15-11-1937 — Page 138

[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government, and should be

returned to the Foreign Office if not required for official use.]

138

2

(F 7907/130/10)

To FRANCE.

Telegram (en clair) to sir E. Phipps, (Paris).

Foreign Office,

No. 212 Saving.

18th October, 1937,

7 p.m.

0:0:0:0

Your telegram No. 613 Saving (of the 14th October: supply of arms to China over French railways in Indo-China].

I am frankly disappointed that the French Government

Unless you feel very strongly indeed

should take this line. that it would "be unwise to continue to press the French in this matter", you should ask the French Government how they reconcile their decision with the third part of the Assembly's resolution of October 5th, which "recommends that Members should refrain from taking any action which might have the effect of weakening China's power of resistance and thus of increasing her difficulties in the present conflict, and should also consider how far they can individually extend

aid to China",

In our view, it is not in the least likely that the Siamese would intervene in favour of Japan, when they have a largely unassimilated Chinese population of over two millions The statement at the end of paragraph 3 in their territory.

is moreover incorrect:

the Canton-Kowloon railway has been

bombed twice, but the damage done is reported to have been in-

considerable.