793.94119/770½
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs (Hamilton)49
Dr. E. Stanley Jones called at his request. He said that during the last day or two he had gathered the impression that the Chinese Government was blocking the putting into effect of a temporary arrangement which might afford a cooling-off spell in the Far Eastern situation. He said that he had called on the Chinese Ambassador, whom he had known for a good many years, and had asked him whether this report was accurate; that the Ambassador had replied that it was not; and that the Ambassador had referred to a comment attributed to Mr. Kurusu shortly after his arrival here to the effect that Japan did not desire mediation of its conflict with China by any power. Dr. Jones said that he had then inquired of the Chinese Ambassador whether the Japanese made a distinction between mediation and good offices, to which the Ambassador had replied that he did not know and had indicated that he was not interested.
Dr. Jones said that after talking with the Chinese Ambassador he had talked with Mr. Terasaki of the Japanese Embassy; that Mr. Terasaki had stated that the Japanese Government did not desire mediation, but that it desired the extension of good offices by the United States. According to Dr. Jones, Mr. Terasaki had also said that Japan was in the mood of a person who had been in a fight, that Japan was not reasonable and logical in its reactions at this time, and that what was needed was some act by the United States which would enable Japan to be more reasonable. Dr. Jones said that Mr. Terasaki had mentioned especially the lifting in some way of the embargo on oil.
When Dr. Jones mentioned that Japan was interested in the United States’ exercising its good offices between China and Japan, I said that of course one very pertinent consideration in connection with that matter was whether Japan desired to act in a genuinely peaceful way toward China. I made no other comment at that time.
Dr. Jones said that, without in any way attempting to give credit to himself, he probably spoke to larger gatherings of American church people than any other person in the United States; that he had expected, when he began some months ago mentioning to such audiences the question whether some peaceful way could not be found for resolving the difficulties between China and the United States, that he would be severely criticized; that on the contrary he had found a very receptive attitude on the part of his audiences; and that in his opinion the bulk of solid American opinion, which he said was not an especially [Page 703] vocal element, would definitely welcome the bringing about of a peaceful adjustment in the Pacific situation.
Dr. Jones then spoke again of his idea of having New Guinea turned over to Japan as affording a face-saving way to Japan of getting out of China. Dr. Jones said that he had discussed this matter with a good many people and that on the whole the response was favorable. He said that he had discussed this matter with the Australian Minister here, who had said that of course Japan’s presence in an area so near to Australia would perturb Australia, but that that factor could be taken care of should the United States enter into a non-aggression treaty with Australia. I commented that the practice of the United States was not to enter into treaties containing pledges of military action by this country. Dr. Jones replied that at the present time the United States in fact was protecting Australia and he indicated that he did not see why such a provision could not be written into a treaty. Dr. Jones said also that he had discussed the Far Eastern situation with Mr. Justice Murphy, Mr. Hayden, and Mr. McNutt.50 Mr. Jones intimated that all of these gentlemen were interested in the idea which he put forth that Japan should be given some additional land to which its people could go.
I told Dr. Jones that all I could say was that I could assure him that the appropriate officers of the Government were making every effort to give most careful and painstaking thought to all ideas and suggestions,