701.9466A/8½
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Acting Secretary of State
The Apostolic Delegate called this evening to see me at his request.
Archbishop Cicognani said that immediately after his return to Washington he had been informed by Monsignor Vagnozzi of my conversation with him regarding the report that the Vatican had agreed to accept a diplomatic mission from Japan. The Delegate stated that he had immediately sent a very full report by telegram to [Page 782] the Holy See and added that he had expressed in the strongest and most vigorous terms his complete agreement with the opinions and statements which I had expressed.
I went over with the Delegate the considerations which I had mentioned in my conversation with Monsignor Vagnozzi. I then said I wished the Delegate to know that I had discussed this whole question with the President only today. The President had asked me to let the Delegate know that when, he had read this report he had found it completely impossible to credit it. He said that knowing the Holy Father personally as he did, and having had the opportunity of knowing the views, the policies, and the beliefs of the Holy Father as he did, it was to him completely incredible that the Vatican at this time could agree to receive an Ambassador from Japan.
Archbishop Cicognani said that he was very happy indeed to have this message from the President which he would also transmit by urgent cable to the Holy See.
The Archbishop asked that his name not be used in this connection, but that Mr. Tittmann be instructed to make as forceful and emphatic representations as possible to the Cardinal Secretary of State. He stressed particularly the importance of Tittmann speaking with Monsignor Tardini in this light. The Archbishop said he was profoundly disturbed and utterly unable to comprehend any justifiable reason for the step which Apparently had been agreed upon by the Vatican.
The Archbishop took Occasion to say that in his recent trip to the west he had personally conferred with Archbishop Beckmann of Dubuque, Iowa, the Bishop of Fort Wayne, and Archbishop Curley of Baltimore, for the purpose of making it clear to them that in the opinion of the Holy See they should immediately refrain from making any further public utterances which tended to create disunity in the United States and to lessen in any way popular support of the policies of the Administration.