740.00119 PW/11–1246
The Acting Secretary of State to Ambassador Edwin W. Pauley
My Dear Mr. Pauley: I referred to Secretary Byrnes your letter of November 12 with respect to the press release which you wished to issue on your report on Japanese Reparations. I received Mr. Byrnes’ instructions this morning and hasten to communicate his views to you.
Mr. Byrnes agrees that a release of this general character is desirable at this time. He believes, however, that the release should be made from the State Department by the Acting Secretary. He believes that there should be omitted from the release the discussion on [Page 593] pages four through six with respect to the implementation of your recommendations, both by means of the Inter-Allied Reparations Commission and by the staff of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers.
As you know the problem of setting up an Inter-Allied organization for this purpose has been of great concern to the State Department for over six months. Despite vigorous proposals to put through your recommendation it has proved impossible to secure the approval of the Far Eastern Commission for it. At the present time a number of alternatives are being explored. In this situation it would cause confusion to have the recommendation contained in the draft press release put out at this time.
Furthermore, the material with respect to SCAP’s organization and operations is not of sufficient policy importance to justify inclusion in a statement of this character, devoted as it is to basic issues of major international significance.
I have prepared a draft release which I believe carries out Mr. Byrnes’ instructions to me. If this meets with your approval I am prepared to issue it today.43
The Secretary wishes to take this opportunity to express the appreciation of the State Department for the contribution which this report and the other reports which you and your staff have prepared on Japanese Reparations have made to the United States policy on this subject.
Sincerely yours,
- Mr. Pauley replied on November 16: “I enter no objection to the draft release.” (740.00119 PW/11–1646) For the statement by the Acting Secretary of State as released on November 17, see Department of State Bulletin. November 24, 1946, p. 957.↩