Tuesday, 15 April

Nineteenth day of the third lunar month

After the Yuan meeting, President Sun Fo spoke for one and a half hours on the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact signed in Moscow on the thirteenth between Matsuoka and Molotov. Under Article1 of the Pact, the two parties agree to maintain peaceful and friendly relations between themselves and respect each other’s territorial integrity and inviolability. Article 2 provides that in case either party becomes the object of military action by one or more third parties, the other party shall observe neutrality throughout the entire period of such conflict. Article 3 deals with the period of duration – five years; and Article 4 provides for speedy ratification and exchange of ratification documents in Tokyo. A joint declaration was also issued saying that Japan respects the territorial integrity and inviolability of the Peoples’ Republic of Mongolia while the Soviet Union respects the territorial integrity and inviolability of the Republic of Manchukuo. Konoye declared the document as “not only of epoch-making significance in Soviet-Japanese relations but will also serve to hasten world peace”. London and Washington, however, took it very calmly. It was pointed out that it is somewhat novel in form, and does not go as far as a treaty of non-aggression. Therefore it cannot be said to modify the situation very materially. The reference to Manchukuo and Outer Mongolia really consecrates a de facto situation already in being, and the question of Soviet aid in China is conspicuously absent from the negotiation report. After pointing out the violation of Soviet’s treaty obligations to China by this new pact, Dr. Sun Fo observed that Soviet Russia has to prepare for a German attack in the near future, and so, has to free herself from the eastern front. I cannot agree with him, as I think the German military power is so great now. Soviet Russia dare not offend her, and it is at least not the time for Hitler to attack Russia at this moment. Furthermore, Matsuoka dares not to go behind Hitler’s back to set the Soviet eastern Front free, so that the latter may concentrate her forces against Germany. The real centre of the game is still in Germany. Hitler wants Japan to move on the Pacific so as to tie up the hands of the U.S.A. Japan’s reply was that she was unable to do so when threatened by the Soviet Union. Hitler therefore arranged this pact. I am afraid that both Soviet Russia and Japan complete this new pact without any real desire on either side to do what Hitler wants. The Soviet Union will not cease her aid to China, nor will Japan start her southern drive. The only result will be Japan may withdraw part of her army now stationed in Manchuria and we may suffer a little more. However, we have, after three and a half years at war become accustomed to any kind of suffering, and it will not be hard to face it with philosophical smiles. However it is dangerous to prophesy, especially in international affairs, in which so many elements are involved. But certainly if I were Dr. Sun Fo, I would not have criticised the Soviet Union as he did this morning. Other people might be free to talk on such a subject, but with his past relations with that country, he should be the last person in China to be critical. I learnt from Chen Bozhuang afterwards that the idea of an imminent German attack on Russia was the Generalissimo’s, and President Sun Fo was merely expressing that of the latter, while his criticism of the Soviet Union may be a way to clear himself of the Pro-Sovietism placed by so many after his name. He may be a much better political tactician than I am, but this type of tactic is too much against my foolish conception of self-decency for me to adopt and so I cannot possibly approve.

Tianjuan returned and said Huang Junbi’s pictures sold like hot cakes in spite of the comparatively high prices. Thirty-eight thousand dollars were realized and the one hundred and twenty pictures were all bought the second day. His position as a first-rate painter is therefore established. I congratulate him. It gives Tianhuan no small amount of encouragement and he seems now fully determined to go on painting.