761.94/1316a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt)
461. In response to inquiries in regard to the Soviet-Japanese pact, I made the following statement to the press on April 14:
“The significance of the pact between the Soviet Union and Japan relating to neutrality, as reported in the press today, could be overestimated. The agreement would seem to be descriptive of a situation [Page 949] which has in effect existed between the two countries for some time past. It therefore comes as no surprise, although there has existed doubt whether the two Governments would or would not agree to say it in writing. The policy of this Government of course remains unchanged.”