700.0011 Pacific/30
Mr. Norman H. Davis to the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs ( Hornbeck )
Dear Hornbeck: Thanks for your letter of March 18th96 enclosing confidential memorandum prepared in F. E.97 on the subject of Neutralization of the Islands in the Pacific, and also copy of the memorandum with regard to the comments of the President, both of which I am returning herewith.98
I may say that I agree with your views on this subject. For your confidential information, I had a talk with the President by telephone on Friday, before I had read your memorandum, in which this question was raised. His idea as indicated to me, was that all of the islands in the Pacific, exclusive of Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand, should be neutralized, as he calls it, and non fortified. In this he would be willing to include the Aleutian Islands, provided Japan would be willing to make a similar agreement with regard to the islands north and east of Japan. He would also include Formosa and Hongkong. His idea seems to be that the agreement should provide not only for non fortification but a pledge on the part of the nations concerned not to use any of the neutralized islands in case of war. It was not possible, of course, over the telephone to have a very specific or satisfactory discussion of the question. I did tell him, however, that it was all a question of the method and time of approach to the question; and that it might be better first merely to raise the question of the Philippines and then see what the other powers want to put in the bag; and that in any event it would be advisable to have a confidential, informal exchange of views with the British. To this he seemed to acquiesce.
It seems to me that the outstanding difficulty as indicated by F. E., is with regard to Japan. Until there is some change or clarification in the Japanese situation it does not seem very logical to enter a new serious agreement with a government that has so flagrantly violated [Page 975] existing treaties and that seems determined to pursue a policy that would be in conflict with a program for insuring peace in the Pacific.
One other thing that disturbs me somewhat is how we can sign a piecemeal agreement with Japan without indirectly condoning things she has done, of which we disapprove. If the President refrains from taking any initiative until this can be fully explored with the British it may perhaps develop that the situation can be clarified.
With best wishes [etc.]