756D.94/83
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Under Secretary of State (Welles)
The Chargé d’Affaires of the Netherlands97 called to see me this morning by instruction from his Government. The Chargé d’Affaires [Page 148] stated that his Government desired to urge that so long as the pending negotiations in the Netherlands East Indies between the Japanese Mission and the local authorities were continuing, the Government of the United States would not take any drastic steps to curtail exports to Japan.
I told Baron van Boetzelaer that this question had been given the fullest consideration in any discussion on the part of Government officials here with regard to the effect of such possible measures on the Netherlands East Indies. I stated that his Government well knew the importance which this Government attributed to the maintenance of the status quo in the Pacific and to the unimpaired integrity and independence of the Netherlands East Indies. I said, however, that I doubted if the Netherlands Government would believe that the interest of the Netherlands East Indies, or of those peaceful governments like the United States, which desired to strengthen the maintenance of the status quo in the Pacific, would be advanced through the adoption by the United States of an attitude of complete supine acquiescence in the continuing and ever-enlarging policy of Japan of aggression in the Pacific region. I stated that in the opinion of this Government it was desirable to furnish as much assistance financially and materially as possible to China in her efforts to resist Japanese aggression, and that if the Government of Indo-China pursued the same course of resistance, we would see what ways could be found to furnish material assistance to that Government as well. That policy was cardinal to the Government of the United States. I said further, however, that the time had now come when this Government could not continue to acquiesce in permitting the export to Japan of materials from the United States which aided Japan in her present policy of aggression. I said, however, for the confidential information of the Netherlands Government, that the Chargé d’Affaires could inform his Foreign Office that for the moment, at least, no thought was being given by the Government of the United States to any further restrictions on the exportation of oil products to Japan and that any additional restrictions which are now under consideration would involve products which were not manufactured, and which could not be obtained, in the Netherlands East Indies.
The Chargé d’Affaires expressed his gratitude for the information I had given him which he said he would immediately communicate to his Government.
- Baron C. G. W. H. van Boetzelaer van Oosterhout.↩