033.9411 Konoe, Fuminaro/43
President Roosevelt to the Japanese Prime Minister (Konoye)16
Dear Prince Konoye: It afforded me great pleasure to welcome on November 9 your son, Fumitaka, and to receive from him your letter of September 15.17 I was impressed by his address and bearing and I am sure that he will prove himself worthy of the traditions of an illustrious family. I take it as a compliment to our country that his education is being entrusted to American institutions.
I also wish to express my appreciation of your cordial personal greetings and of your message of friendship on behalf of the people of Japan to the people of America. I heartily reciprocate your sentiments, especially the desire expressed by you regarding the promotion of the friendship between our two countries through sympathetic understanding and mutual respect and confidence. Because I so earnestly desire to see that friendship fostered and strengthened, I feel that I must acquaint you with my concern lest the existing hostilities between Japan and China do injury to the cause which we both have so much at heart. I therefore hope that a way will speedily be found for a peaceful adjustment of the situation on a basis which is fair and just to all concerned and which will, through practical application of fundamental principles indispensable to normal and healthy relations among nations, provide for enduring peace and stability.
With kind personal regards, I am
Yours sincerely,