394.115 Panay/123: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
361. Your 645, December 16, 7 p.m. In view of the apparent sincerity of feeling in which the donations are being proffered and of the likelihood that a flat rejection of such offers would produce some misunderstanding of our general attitude and offend those Japanese who make such a gesture, the Department is of the opinion that some method should be found whereby Japanese who wish to give that type of expression to their feelings may do so.
The Department feels, however, that neither the American Government nor any agency of it nor any of its nationals should receive sums of money thus offered or take direct benefit therefrom. It occurs to the Department to suggest that you approach Prince Tokugawa or some other outstanding Japanese personage inquiring whether he would be willing to constitute himself an authorized recipient for any gifts which any Japanese may wish voluntarily to offer in evidence of their feeling, public announcement to be made of such arrangement and an accompanying announcement that funds thus contributed will be devoted to something in Japan that will testify to good will between the two countries but not be conveyed to the American Government or American nationals. Perhaps you can think of some better method of handling the problem presented. Obviously, the prompt making of some such arrangement would be advantageous.
Meanwhile, in the Department’s opinion, the only American agencies which should receive tentatively any such funds are the American Ambassador in Japan and the American Ambassador in China. Any American agencies to whom such funds are proffered should refer the donors to the American Ambassadors, and in turn the Ambassadors should make appropriately appreciative acknowledgement and refer the donors to the persons who may be agreed upon, of Japanese nationality, for acceptance of such gifts.
For your information, Admiral Yarnell has just been offered a large sum by personnel of the Japanese Third Fleet, has replied that he has no authority to receive any funds, and is being instructed to continue in that attitude until further instructed along the lines of the above.