894.48B/326: Telegram
The Chargé in Japan (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 19—11:40 a.m.]
197. Department’s telegram no. 272, December 13, 5 [6] p.m. Request of Japanese authorities: Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs communication to me this afternoon orally definite request of Japanese authorities that $3,000,000 of balance be used as follows: One and a half million for the construction of a hospital as hitherto discussed, and one and a half million for hospital endowment. He stated also that they would like to ask that the remaining one and a half million be turned over to Japanese Emergency Relief Bureau to be spent here in Japan for “direct social service work among the destitute refugee population.”
I have inquired what was meant by social service work and was told furnishing Japanese clothing and food direct to refugees and especially to those in the so-called slum quarters in Tokyo. He added that the Japanese authorities frankly considered food and clothing bought here more suitable in these cases than supplies sent from America.
He said that if these proposals are accepted by the American Red Cross, Japanese authorities will be glad to designate the proper organizations to receive the amounts involved in cash.
As I have reported on that hitherto it has been my impression for some time that the Japanese authorities did not desire to request further supplies from the United States, and this afternoon the Vice Minister very frankly stated that the Japanese authorities felt that they did not need additional emergency relief supplies from [Page 496] America. Since writing the above Mr. Phelps of the Y.M.C.A. has come in and tells me that it is his opinion that there is no need growing out of the disaster more urgent than that of social service work among the refugee slum population here in Tokyo and that the need for this special work is in fact a pressing one.