711.942/284
The Secretary of State to Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg
My Dear Senator Vandenberg: I acknowledge the receipt of your letter of September 20, 1939, in which you were so good as to acquaint me with the impressions gained by you from a recent conversation which you had with the Japanese Commissioner General to the New York World’s Fair in regard to relations between the United States and Japan with special reference to the question of concluding a new commercial treaty with Japan.
I am gratified to learn from you of the friendly attitude toward this country manifested by the Japanese Commissioner and I note with interest your conclusion, derived from your conversation with him, that a realistic approach to the Far Eastern situation on the part of all concerned might well produce a new treaty which would go far toward pacifying and stabilizing the Far Eastern situation.
This Government has been mindful at all times of the need of a realistic approach to the Far Eastern situation and has endeavored to act in conformity with that need. Some of the realities in that situation were indicated to you in the letter of August 22, 1939. The desire manifested by the Japanese Commissioner for improved relations between Japan and the United States is of course gratifying. I sincerely trust that those of his countrymen who share his views may influence the Japanese Government to adopt a course calculated to give practical and realistic effect to those views. Such a development would undoubtedly facilitate the negotiation of a new agreement between Japan and the United States on terms which could be expected to be mutually advantageous and adequately to safeguard and promote American interests.
Sincerely yours,