861.00/4380: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Morris) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received April 26, 5:45 a.m.]
I had a second extended talk with General Tanaka, who called at the Embassy this afternoon. I read to him the substance of my March 31st, 12 p.m. reporting to you our previous talk and also the substance of the President’s instructions as contained in your April 16th, 6 p.m. I told him that I now proposed to discuss the question formally with the Japanese Government and would appreciate his cooperation in reaching a definite understanding on the military policy, which he had suggested. He expressed his great satisfaction at the President’s approval of his views and explained that in his judgment a railway zone should be established not exceeding ten kilometers on each side of the railway thus placing the railway beyond gun range and that no Allied troops should be allowed to go beyond that zone. He believed that outside such a zone any military operations against Bolshevists and others should be conducted by Russians themselves. He thought, however, that the right of any Allied Government to supply the Kolchak troops with ammunitions should be reserved. I told him that I had always favored a zone system as a method of limiting the discretion of subordinate commanding officers, but as I had not military experience I asked permission, which was promptly granted, to submit this plan to General Graves for his comment. It is my intention to discuss this question with the Foreign Minister on the 28th. If we can reach a definite understanding, which if approved by the Department might be embodied in an informal memorandum, I would suggest that it then be submitted to the Associated Governments for their approval. This would follow the procedure adopted by the Department [Page 557] when the expedition to Siberia was first proposed and which was also adopted in the railway negotiations. Furthermore I believe such a method would be peculiarly acceptable to the Japanese Government just at this time.
In the course of our conversation General Tanaka referred, of his own accord, to the recent newspaper campaigns both in the United States and Japan which tended to disturb the friendly relations of the two countries. He spoke of our Government’s recent public statement on the subject10 and said that as the army seemed to be a particular object of attack he had decided to issue a statement as War Minister, emphasizing the frank and cordial relations now existing between our governments. He is also arranging an entertainment in my honor and it is significant that he requested me to submit to him the names of any American writers or newspaper men to whom he might extend invitations.