756D.94/149: Telegram
The Consul General at Batavia (Foote) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 23—9:10 a.m.]
51. Reference is made to the last paragraph of section 3 of my telegram No. 48, May 18, 7 p.m.10 There has been no press or other unofficial reaction to the Japanese memorandum due to the fact that no publicity has been given to it. Not even its receipt has been divulged to the press.
Official reaction is as follows:
The Netherlands reply has been drafted and is now in the hands of the Governor General who is consulting with the Council of the Netherlands Indies before delivering it to the Japanese Delegation. Van Mook has just informed me in strict confidence, however, that the reply is to the effect that acceptance of the Japanese proposals is entirely out of the question and that the negotiations should be broken off at once. He has promised me a copy of the reply as soon as it is delivered. Van Mook believes that if the Japanese do not acquiesce entirely to the Netherlands viewpoint, the long expected crisis will come quickly.
Repeated to Tokyo.