740.00119 PW/8–1346
Ambassador Edwin W. Pauley to Mr. Willard L. Thorp, Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of State for Economic Affairs
My Dear Mr. Thorp: On the 2nd of May I transmitted to you a proposed report on Japanese reparations96 which was the agreed [Page 563] result of negotiations between representatives of the State Department and my Chief of Staff, Martin T. Bennett. On 11 May 1946 Mr. Bennett handed a copy of this report to Major General William Marquat, Chief of the Economic and Scientific Section, SCAP, Tokyo and requested that SCAP transmit their comments to you as quickly as possible. On our return to Washington I find that SCAP comments have not been received and that no follow-up request had been made of SCAP prior to the 2nd of August.
It appears to me that with the many questions arising in connection with our policy in the Far East generally and specifically with respect to the program of the proposed Far Eastern Reparations Conference, it would be highly desirable to have the comprehensive reparations report adopted as a basic statement of policy. I am, therefore, anxious to submit this to the President at the earliest possible date but, as indicated to you in April, I do not wish to submit this until it has received SWNCC concurrence.
I, therefore, request that the State Department will undertake responsibility for sponsoring this report in SWNCC and for expediting its approval.97
Sincerely yours,
U.S. Representative on Reparations
- See footnote 92, p. 485.↩
- A reply, dated August 26, was sent to Mr. Pauley, informing him of action by the Department. It was stated in conclusion: “It is, of course, essential that this paper be moved through SWNCC as rapidly as possible in order to have a U.S. position for the guidance of the U.S. member of the proposed reparations conference, which it is now hoped can be convened not later than September 15.” (740.00119 PW/8–1346)↩