893.00/3052: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Commission to Negotiate Peace

[Extract]

1604. Personal for the Secretary.

Please see Department’s 1460, Apr. 5 regarding Viscount Ishii’s return to Japan, and note following, dated April 14th, from Morris, Tokyo: [Page 565]

. . . . . . .

On my inquiring when Ishii was expected he72 volunteered detailed explanation of the cause of his return. It appears that Ishii considers his present continuance at Washington impossible in view of Mr. Lansing’s inability to recall correspondence [conversations?] in reference to the appointment of Sakatani which Ishii reported to his own government as having occurred and on which his government acted. Minister for Foreign Affairs expressed the hope that Ishii would see his way clear to return but seemed doubtful. He further said that he was at a loss to understand our government’s objection to Sakatani. The Japanese Government he explained had no desire to monopolize the currency project in China but merely wished to assist in working out some plan.

. . . . . . .

In view of the statement of the Minister for Foreign Affairs as expressed in Morris’s despatch that he hoped Ishii would see his way clear to return to the United States, it occurs to me that you might care to send to Ishii now a personal message expressing your hope that he will return and authorize me to communicate in the same sense to the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs. …

Polk
  1. The Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs.