711.94/2141: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 5—6:36 a.m.]
766. For the Secretary and Under Secretary. 1. The Canadian Chargé d’Affaires, under instructions from his Government, called on me this morning and said that his Government would welcome an expression of my opinion as to the wisdom of either (a) denouncing the Canadian commercial agreement with Japan24 or (b) blacklisting the Japanese firms of Okura, Mitsubishi and/or Mitsui. I expressed my personal opinion that in view of certain conversations now being held in Washington aimed at exploring the possibility of reaching some conciliatory understanding between the United States and Japan, it would be wise to hold in abeyance the contemplated Canadian steps until an outcome of the aforesaid conversations had been reached. Mr. McGreer said that this opinion coincided with his opinion which he had cabled to Ottawa on May 26.
2. Mr. McGreer had already told me that he had been informed of the aforesaid conversations by Sir Robert Craigie, who in turn had been advised of Lord Halifax’s reports to London on that subject. In reply, however, to Mr. McGreer’s telegram of May 26 to Ottawa the Canadian Government said that it was unaware of any such conversations. Mr. McGreer thereupon suggested to his Government that information be sought through the Canadian Minister in Washington.25
3. In this connection, my British colleague on May 24, showed me the exchange of telegrams between Lord Halifax and Mr. Eden on [Page 254] the subject of the Washington conversations and Sir Robert Craigie asked what I thought of those conversations. I replied that I was personally impressed with Secretary Hull’s view that even if there were only one chance in 25 of reaching a reasonable agreement it would be unwise to miss that chance by refusing to explore its possibilities.