500.A15A5 Construction/126a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in the United Kingdom (Johnson)
Washington, March 5, 1938—3
p.m.
96. Your 174, March 1, 10 p.m. In replying to the points raised in your telegram under reference you should state our position as follows:
- 1.
- We wish to invoke the escalator clause in order to exceed the limits of the London Naval Treaty, 1936, with regard to the size and armament of capital ships.
- 2.
- We feel that we should proceed under Article 26 of the London Naval Treaty, 1936, on the ground that we believe that the requirements [Page 898] of our national security are materially affected by the refusal of the Japanese Government to furnish information with regard to its current naval construction program and regarding its plans for future construction.
- 3.
- Accordingly, we make the suggestion that each of the signatories of the London Naval Treaty, 1936, should concurrently and simultaneously give notification to each other of intention of departing for the current year from the annual program of construction in size and armament in the capital ship category.
- 4.
- It is our view that simultaneous, concurrent escalation by the powers signatories of the Treaty would have a better general effect than escalation by one power acting alone.
- 5.
- We hope, therefore, that the discussions now taking place in London with the other signatories of the Naval Treaty will not be protracted beyond a reasonable limit of time in order that any necessity for unilateral escalation may be avoided.
- 6.
- We wish it to be understood that action taken this year in departing for the current year from the annual program of construction in size and armament in the capital ship category will not preclude the possibility of departing at any future time during the life of the Treaty from the annual program of construction in size and armament in categories in addition to the capital ship category.
- 7.
- With regard to the initiative of the Japanese Ambassador at London concerning further explorations for the purpose of obtaining from the Japanese Government assurances in respect of naval construction, we have no objection if the British wish to continue these discussions during the 3-month period between the time when escalation is announced and it actually goes into effect. We do not, however, wish these discussions to be used as a pretext for delaying escalation.
- 8.
- We have received no further communication from the Japanese in regard to their construction program since their reply to our note of February 5. As far as we are concerned this was Japan’s final word.
Hull