693.002/634: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
Tokyo, May 5, 1938—8
p.m.
[Received May 5—9:35 a.m.]
[Received May 5—9:35 a.m.]
295. Department’s 154, May 3, 6 p.m., Chinese customs.
- 1.
- Craigie informs me that he gave to Byas no gratuitous information concerning the attitude of the United States but that in reply to a direct question from Byas he said that we had been kept informed of the progress made in the negotiations and had not raised objections (in other words that we did not wish to comment).
- 2.
- Byas informed me today on his own initiative that such was the impression he had received from the British Ambassador but that in the hurried drafting of his telegram late at night when he could not consult me he had perhaps failed to make clear the fine distinction between a tacit and a positive attitude on our part. He said that the Foreign Office in Tokyo had given him the same information as had the Ambassador.
- 3.
- Byas proposes also on his own initiative to take occasion in his next telegram regarding the Chinese customs to say “although the United States and France have not expressed objections, and this has been confirmed by the Foreign Office, it should be understood that silence on the part of the American Government in no sense implies that it approves or supports the agreement”.
- 4.
- Wishing sedulously to avoid crossing wires with the Department in matters of publicity I refrained from offering comment but if the Department feels that the publication of the foregoing statement would or would not be helpful and wishes to advise me by urgent telegram I believe that Byas will be guided by any suggestion that I may make.
Repeated to Shanghai for Hankow.
Grew