711.94/4–841
Memorandum by the Adviser on Political Relations (Hornbeck)
The John Doe associates claim that they are speaking for and they are able to deliver a commitment of Army and Navy authorities in Japan.
If their claim squares with fact, the Japanese authorities to whom they refer should be able to exercise control over the movements of the Japanese Army and the Japanese Navy.
If those authorities are able to do that, they should be able to give a commitment that the Japanese Army and Navy will for a specified period or for an indefinite period desist and/or refrain from activities inconsistent with the representations which the John Doe associates are making regarding Japan’s desires and intentions, for the future, in the field of policy.
In as much as the John Doe associates are pressing us to enter upon a discussion with them of a possible agreement by the terms of which, if concluded, Japan would desist and/or refrain from aggressive activities in the Far East, might it not be practicable for us to say to them that we are prepared to enter into an informal preliminary agreement for the creation of a situation which would warrant entering upon discussions such as they suggest, as follows:
I.
- 1.
- The Japanese Government to give its word that, beginning forthwith, the Japanese armed forces (that is, Army, Navy and Air [Page 131] forces) will desist and/or refrain from any further offensive moves in the Far East or any other theater for such period as may be required for discovering, by processes of discussion, whether there exists the basis for a negotiation; and, if a negotiation is entered upon, will continue to refrain from further offensive action during the period of the negotiation and, in the light of what may by that process be agreed upon, thereafter.
- 2.
- In the spirit of reciprocity, the United States Government to give its word that so long as the above pledge by the Japanese Government is in effect and is lived up to, the armed forces of the United States (that is, the Army, the Navy and the Air forces) will make no offensive move against Japan.
- 3.
- The two Governments to promise, reciprocally, that neither country will make an armed attack upon the other or upon possessions or interests of the other without due notice in the form of a declaration of war by the highest authorities given at least 24 hours in advance of the striking of the first blow.
II.
The Japanese Embassy and the Department of State to undertake that, as soon as the above shall have been agreed upon, each will nominate one qualified person, acceptable to both, and to authorize its nominee to enter upon discussion with the nominee of the other party for the purpose of discovering, by processes of discussion, what it may be possible to agree upon as a basis for a negotiation.