893.6363 Manchuria/58: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
184. Your 238, October 29, 6 p.m. A representative of the principal American interest has been in frequent oral and written communication with the Department and with the British private interests concerned, and through them with the British Foreign Office, during recent weeks.
The Department shares your view that there should be some indications of proposed practical steps. However, the British-Dutch private interests involved are probably as great as if not greater than the American. Those interests and their governments have given no indication of plans or intention on their part to take practical steps. The Department has repeatedly stated that it will consider sympathetically suggestions for cooperative action, if and when, originating with the British Government; but no such suggestions have been forthcoming. We do not intend to be drawn or pushed into a position of taking the initiative in action or threats of action to coerce Japan, the consequences of which, if successful, would be of probably greater advantage all told to British-Dutch interests than to American and, whether successful or not, would lay us open to a particularization of Japanese animosity in those premises. We do not at this stage look with favor upon the idea of an embargo or restriction of export by this country—for reasons which need not be telegraphed but which have been explained here. We believe that, first, the interested companies should arrive at a definite understanding among themselves with regard to the course of action which they intend in various eventualities to follow and give us some indication thereof, and, second, proposals for joint or concurrent action should now originate with the British and Dutch Governments.
You should say to the representatives of the American interests that (a) you doubt whether the American Government is in position to proceed with the idea of embargo or restriction of exports; (b) the American Government feels that the interests concerned have not thus far given evidence of a united front or a common plan of procedure on their part; and (c) the American Government is still awaiting an initiative by the British and Dutch Governments in the form either of further action by them or proposals by them for joint or concurrent action. You should discourage expectation, under the circumstances at this moment, by the American interests, of independent and spectacular action by their Government.