Office of the Historian

756D.94/123

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Adviser on Political Relations (Hornbeck)

[Washington,] February 1, 1941.

The Netherlands Minister called me up late last evening and stated that he had from his Government a telegram stating that his Government is making a statement to the Japanese Government, in Tokyo, in writing, to the effect that the Netherlands Government will take no part and be no party to the establishment of a “new order in Asia” under the aegis of any foreign power.68 I asked whether Mr. Loudon could tell me what was the occasion or the cause of this action. Mr. Loudon replied that his Government stated that this was in reply to a statement made by Mr. Matsuoka.69 Mr. Loudon inquired what was my reaction. I said that I would wish to think the matter over; that I would assume that we would receive some report on the subject from our Embassy in Tokyo; and that I would not wish to express any opinion offhand. Mr. Loudon said that he would like to talk the matter over with me at an early convenient moment.

S[tanley] K. H[ornbeck]
  1. See telegram No. 158, February 3, 6 p.m., from the Ambassador in Japan, p. 54.↩
  2. See telegram No. 135, January 28, midnight, from the Ambassador in Japan, p. 46.↩