711.008 North Pacific/266a
The Counselor of the Department of State (Moore) to President Roosevelt
Dear Mr. President: This refers to the salmon fishing industry on our west coast and particularly to the suggestions contained in your memorandum to me of November 21st and your memorandum to the Secretary and myself of November 22nd.
For several weeks, at the Secretary’s request, the problem presented has been carefully studied with the result of cables being sent Mr. Grew, copies of which are herewith enclosed76 for convenient reference [Page 773] although you have perhaps heretofore seen them. The lengthy cable of November 20th containing a full statement of the case was discussed, before being sent, at a meeting here attended by Senator Schwellenbach of Washington (Senator Bone was unable because of illness in his family to be present), some of the Representatives in Congress from Washington and Delegate Dimond of Alaska, and it had their very full approval. They were advised that we would furnish Mr. Grew instructions and these are contained in the shorter cable of November 19th. They agreed with us that we should await information as to the reaction at Tokyo before determining what further should be done in the event the attitude of the Japanese Government is unfavorable, but as you will see from looking at the enclosed Bill recently introduced by Mr. Dimond,77 who has probably studied the situation more closely than any of the members of Congress from the Pacific coast, that such action is being thought of as you seem to have in mind. Of course, it will be urged by some, who adhere to the idea that government can be conducted on the strict basis of precedent, that such action is unwarranted and there will be others who think that it might involve us in trouble relative to the Bering Sea fur seals industry, and in our relations with such countries as Mexico where the right is claimed to control fishing much beyond the three mile limit. You will, of course, be advised of what we hear from Tokyo within the next few days, and then some of us would like to have the opportunity of taking up with you the question as to what legislation may be enacted.
The attached is the best map78 obtainable showing the depth contours of the the Alaskan coast, which, however, are conjectural except so far as concerns Bristol Bay. It seems very certain from the information available that a fifty mile limit or even a substantially higher mile limit would not effectively protect the industry. The run of the salmon into our rivers could be intercepted in Bristol Bay, for instance by Japanese fishing vessels using long gill nets, say seventy-five or one hundred miles off the coast. We can have no assurance of the industry being maintained unless the Japanese will forego their fishing activities a very considerable distance beyond the coast line. It seems to me that about the only new policy that can be thought of is one that will vest the President with authority to prevent any fishing activities that will imperil our industry which, as you state, involves among other things a very important food supply. Prior to the conference mentioned I had talked a good deal with Mr. Dimond about possible legislation and through him am keeping in touch with the other members of Congress who are manifesting [Page 774] a great deal of interest, and also can tell you that we have talked with some of the best posted men engaged in the industry and a representative of the Fishermen’s Union.
It is proper to say that in dealing with the subject Assistant Secretaries Sayre and Wilson, Mr. Hackworth our Legal Adviser, and Mr. Sturgeon of the Far Eastern Division have been steadily in cooperation with me and that all of us must be regarded as being equally responsible for what has been done. This I say in order to avoid giving the impression that I am trying to put myself at the front.
Yours very sincerely,
PS: Since the above was dictated a cable has been received from Mr. Grew dated November 24th,78a a copy of which is enclosed.
You will wish to know that since we communicated with Mr. Grew we have informally advised the Canadian Minister of what we have done.