793.94/128553/5
The British Permanent Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Gadogan) to the Adviser on Political Relations (Hornbeck)
My Dear Hornbeck: I must thank you for your letter and enclosure of April 13th, and for the care with which you and your colleagues have considered and replied to the points contained in our statement. [Page 173] As you say, the two documents were written from different standpoints, which accounts largely for such differences of opinion as they contain.
Ours contemplated the protection of our interests in the Far East and the restoration of peace by some form of armed intervention, while you have considered the problem in an attitude of greater detachment. I can only hope your expectations may be justified and that Japan will in course of time be brought to see the error of her ways by reason only of the moral indignation of other nations and her own economic difficulties.
I note with interest the statement that certain of your officers are examining the possibility of commercial reprisals in connection with the disregard of your interests and representations by the parties to the present hostilities. Hitherto our consideration of this question has been with a view to cooperation with other Powers in applying economic sanctions against Japan with the object of forcing her to cease hostilities. Like you, however, we are now turning our attention to the possibility of economic retaliation against the many insults and injuries to which our nationals and interests are being subjected and for which we have failed so far to obtain any reasonable satisfaction.
As soon as we have come to any definite conclusions on the subject we shall be glad to inform you of them. Needless to say, we should be extremely interested to learn on what lines you have been working and what conclusions seem to be indicated by your enquiry so far; and we shall be happy to exchange information on Japan’s economic position if that would be considered helpful.
Yours sincerely,