793.94/9204: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 6—9:45 a.m.]
247. 1. Last night the Press Bureau of the Foreign Office informally issued a statement concerning the reports that a considerable number of Americans are planning to offer their services as aviators to the Chinese Army.56 The statement could be read as implying that the American Government is responsible for not deterring these aviators and that this may reflect on good relations between the United States and Japan. The statement also invoked our Neutrality Act.
[Page 337]2. I therefore called this morning on Minister for Foreign Affairs telling him that I had come on my own initiative and not under instructions and that I was making no formal representations but that since he himself had recently spoken to me of the present sensitiveness of the Japanese press and the importance of avoiding undesirable comment and speculation, I desired to bring this statement to his attention. The statement had not been published in this morning’s Japanese newspapers but I said I hoped it would not appear in the afternoon press. I told the Minister that as he must well know the American Government will do everything in its legal power to discourage or deter Americans from fighting in foreign armies. I also pointed out that the Neutrality Act is a domestic matter and that its interpretation by foreigners is difficult.
3. The Minister seemed much upset and immediately telephoned to the Chief of the Press Bureau who informed him that the statement had thus far been given only to one correspondent, Byas of the New York Times. Hirota promised me that it would not be permitted to appear in the Japanese press and he thanked me for bringing the matter to his attention.
4. I believe that my step was justified because of its possibly restraining influence on future Foreign Office press comment concerning the United States.
Repeated to Nanking.
- For correspondence on this subject, see vol. iv, pp. 520–527.↩