711.94/2069: Telegram
The Consul at Mukden (Krentz) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 54:45 a.m.]
7. Reference recent press reports anent a possible visit by Foreign Minister Matsuoka to the United States. A high official of the South Manchurian Railway Company, for some years a close associate of Matsuoka and who traveled with him from Manchuli to Dairen on Matsuoka’s recent return from Europe, stated to me yesterday that Matsuoka had told him categorically that he (Matsuoka) had high hopes of adjusting Japanese-American relations through personal conversations with President Roosevelt which he believed could be arranged. Tokyo is no doubt fully informed in this respect but the statement is repeated for any value it may have.
[Page 177]The same official emphasized the benefits which might be expected on rail traffic between Europe and Asia (see my telegram no. 5, April 16, 11 p.m.31) as a result of the Soviet Pact and I inferred from his manner of mentioning and dismissing other political aspects of the pact that he wished to convey the impression that these aspects were not of a nature which should cause American concern.
Sent to Peiping, code text air mailed to Tokyo.
- Not printed.↩