611.94231/63
Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State (Acheson)
Mr. Iguchi called at his request. He told me that the Tatuta Maru would require some cargo to ballast her for the return trip to Japan. I said that I had already been in touch with counsel for the N. Y. K.62 on this matter and that it would be promptly taken care of within the limits of the export restrictions. He expressed his appreciation.
(At a meeting of the Office of the Administrator of Export Control, Treasury, and State Department officials held in this office Saturday afternoon licenses were granted for the cargo requested, with the exception that lubricating oil requested was restricted within the specifications announced by General Maxwell on Saturday. The cargo chiefly consisted of asphalt and a small quantity of cocoa beans and cotton.)
Mr. Iguchi asked whether the time limit referred to by Mr. Hamilton within which ships might come in with cargo and leave with the same cargo implied that after midnight Saturday Japanese ships would be detained. I said that it did not. I explained that the time limit referred solely to the agreement that ships outside American ports with cargo might come in with the cargo and leave with it without hindrance from the Treasury. I pointed out that this assurance, as a practical matter, was no longer important because of the action of private parties in filing libel suits.
[Page 272]I stated to Mr. Iguchi, as I had been instructed to do by the Acting Secretary, that under present conditions this Government had no intention of interfering with Japanese ships; that such ships might come in, might discharge cargo consigned to American ports, would be granted sufficient supplies and fuel for the return voyage and would be given clearance and departure permits. I cautioned him again that on account of libels filed against cargoes it was not possible to give any assurance regarding the cargoes. I also pointed out that the assurance of freedom of departure was predicated on the continuance of existing conditions. He said that he earnestly hoped that there would be no change in these conditions for the worse.
- Nippon Yusen Kaisha, Japanese steamship company.↩