740.00115 P.W./1–2745
The Department of State to the Spanish Embassy
Memorandum
The Department of State refers to the memorandum dated December 11, 1944 (No. 252, Ex. 150.000) from the Spanish Embassy16 in charge of Japanese interests in the continental United States transmitting a memorandum from the Japanese Government with reference to the alleged employment of Japanese civilians on Saipan on the construction of military airfields. In the Department’s acknowledgment of December 22,17 the Embassy was informed that this matter was receiving consideration and that a further communication would be addressed to the Embassy with regard thereto.
Investigation of this allegation has disclosed that the article which appeared in the August 28, 1944 issue of Newsweek was grossly inaccurate concerning the statements made with regard to the employment of civilians on Saipan. Civilian internees held on Saipan have not been employed on airfield construction nor are they forced to perform labor.
- Foreign Relations, 1944, vol. v, p. 1145.↩
- Not printed.↩