700.00116/354a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan ( Grew )
192. At the press conference on June 11 the Secretary, in reply to a question whether the Secretary could add anything to a story in the press that he was considering some plan in connection with bombings pointed toward discouraging the sale of American bombing planes abroad, stated that in reference to the bombing of civilian populations and the danger to Americans and American interests abroad we have put out repeated public statements condemning the bombing of civilian populations, that the present attitude is to maintain that position, to say to everybody that we do condemn the bombing of civilian populations or its material encouragement, and that we say that abroad and at home to the American people and especially to the manufacturers of bombing planes. In reply to a question whether the administration or the Government will frown upon all future sales of American airplanes that could be used for bombing purposes, the Secretary indicated that our attitude will discourage sales to regions where airplanes are being used to bomb civilian populations.