811.20 Defense (Requisitions)/65
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs (Ballantine)5
The Japanese Ambassador called at his request. He referred to a despatch in the New York Times of June 15 by Felix Belair, Jr., under Washington June 14 dateline, to the effect that administration sources said legislation would be introduced next week to embargo exports of scrap iron as a measure of national defense, and also to Mr. Berle’s statement of June 8 to the effect that so far as Mr. Berle knew there had been no discussion in connection with the national defense program of any proposal for restricting exports of scrap iron and steel.
Mr. Berle said that when the news item had been called to his attention he had made inquiries of the Division of Controls and that the Department had no new information on this point, which would alter what he had said last Saturday. He added, however, that he could not assure the Ambassador that this point had not been brought up in discussions other than those at which he and other representatives of the Department were present nor could he assure the Ambassador that the question of embargoes on scrap iron would not arise at some future time in connection with its national defense program. Mr. Berle explained that our national defense program was not a matter of our own choosing but was forced upon us by actions and policies of other countries and we could not tell today how far this program might have to be carried. The Ambassador then asked whether there were any plans for embargoing exports of copper and steel. Mr. Berle replied that so far as he knew there had been no discussion of the question of restricting exports of steel and copper.
Mr. Berle then referred to an approach which the Counselor of the Japanese Embassy had made on June 13 to the Acting Secretary of the Navy6 and suggested that in the future it would be desirable that the customary diplomatic procedure be followed whereby approaches to this Government would be made through officers of the Department of State. Mr. Berle said that the Department, of course, would at all times be glad to arrange interviews with officers of other Departments when the Department itself was not in possession of the information desired and when it was considered that such interviews would be advantageous, and he observed that he understood that a similar procedure prevailed at Tokyo. The Ambassador expressed no dissent but explained that Mr. Morishima was personally acquainted with Assistant Secretary Compton and that the interview in question developed [Page 581] out of an incidental conversation. The Ambassador said that Mr. Morishima had no intention of “negotiating” with any other Department of the Government.