894.48B/290: Telegram
The Chargé in Japan (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:35 a.m.]
183. For Red Cross:
[Page 493]Your telegram number 32.38 Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs told me informally this morning that yesterday Foreign Office received a telegram from Hanihara stating that after consultation with you he now believes that a proposal by Japanese authorities for following disposition of balance of relief fund would be acceptable to you; one-third of balance to be expended in building a hospital to serve continuing needs growing out of disaster; one-third to be used as endowment for maintenance of this hospital, and one-third to be used immediately for additional emergency supplies. Vice Minister told me informally that this was the manner in which the Japanese authorities really desire you to use unexpended balance of four and one-half million dollars; that owing to present financial straits Japanese Government cannot otherwise provide for maintenance of this hospital which is badly needed to replace losses suffered in the disaster and on account of conditions created by the disaster. He says he is telegraphing this to Hanihara.