Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1934, The Far East, Volume III

711.94/960½

The Secretary of State to President Roosevelt

Washington, June 9, 1934.

My Dear Mr. President: I send you herewith a copy of a memorandum of my conversation with the Japanese Ambassador held on May 29, 1934.³⁶

This was in reply to a proposal which the Ambassador had made in a “secret and strictly confidential” memorandum which he handed to me on May 16³⁷ that the American and the Japanese Governments make a “joint declaration” of policy. My reply was, in brief, that we could not adopt that suggestion, but in making that reply I took occasion to comment at considerable length upon some of the points which he had made and to express and emphasize the view that the real test of friendship and of friendly intention between the two countries is to be found in action rather than words.

At this moment we have indications that the Ambassador is not inclined to accept as final my expression of the view that we cannot act upon his suggestion that there be made a joint declaration and that he may be contemplating appealing to you in the hope that you will be more responsive to his effort. That was what Viscount Ishii did in 1918,³⁸ appealed to the President after the Secretary of State had expressed himself adversely to the making of a joint declaration of policy, with the result that there was concluded at that time the Lansing-Ishii Agreement³⁹—which Agreement resulted in no end of confusion and embarrassment. I feel that it is highly desirable that you give the Ambassador no encouragement to think or to report to his Government that you are favorably disposed toward his project. Already certain Japanese newspapers have stated that you made a promise to Viscount Ishii when he was here last year which promise the American Government has not kept. You of course made no such promise, but the likelihood is that the slightest indication of willingness to take the matter under consideration will be construed or be represented by Japanese officials concerned as a favorable assurance.

Faithfully yours,

Cordell Hull

36. Supra.
37. For text of memorandum, see Foreign Relations, Japan, 1914–1920, vol. i, p. 232.
38. For correspondence relating to Viscount K. Ishii’s special mission to the United States in 1917, see Foreign Relations, 1917, pp. 258 ff; ibid., The Lansing Papers, 1914–1920, vol. ii, pp. 432 ff.
39. For text of notes signed November 2, 1917, see Foreign Relations, 1917, pp. 264–265; for text of protocol, see ibid., The Lansing Papers, 1914–1920, vol. ii, p. 450.