740.00119 PW/4–1847
The Chief of the Civil Affairs Division of the War
Department (Noce) to the Assistant Secretary
of State (Hilldring)
secret
WDSCA 387.6
Washington, 18 April
1947.
Dear General Hilldring: There is attached
hereto as inclosure 1 a letter from Mr. Clifford Strike to the Assistant
Secretary of War73 which
offers interpretative comments regarding the statement contained in
SWNCC 236/43, “Reparations
Removals of Industrial Facilities and Merchant Shipping from
Japan,”74 which was recently
submitted to the Far Eastern Commission.
It is the desire of the War Department to forward the above letter to the
Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers for his information and
guidance. It is believed that the contents thereof will prove most
helpful in achieving a complete understanding between the Supreme
Commander for the Allied Powers and interested U.S. government agencies
regarding an acceptable interpretation of a statement on reparations
removals from Japan when such statement is submitted to him formally as
approved policy.
[Page 386]
The War Department’s forwarding letter should, however, clarify further
some of the comments offered, and indicate a resolution of differences
of opinion which are reflected in other comments.
Your comments or concurrence are therefore requested on the proposed
draft of a letter from the War Department to the Supreme Commander for
the Allied Powers, which forwards the above referenced letter, and which
is attached hereto as inclosure 2.75
Sincerely yours,
Daniel Noce
Major General, GSC
[Enclosure]
Draft Letter, for General of the Army Douglas
MacArthur, at Tokyo
secret
My Dear General MacArthur: There is
attached hereto a letter from Mr. Clifford Strike which gives the
results of a conference held recently76 in Washington between his group,
representatives of the State, War and Navy Departments, and members
of your staff.
The purpose of this conference was to effect delineations of the
terms of definition and limitation contained in the conclusions of
approved SWNCC 236/43. These
conclusions outlined the United States position on “Reparations
Removals of Industrial Facilities and Merchant Shipping from Japan”
and have been submitted to the Far Eastern Commission for
consideration. It is the belief of the War Department that the
conference has achieved a mutual accord and understanding between
members of your staff and interested U.S. Government agencies
regarding interpretation of the above-mentioned reparations
statement, and therefore, may prove of material assistance to you in
establishing appropriate criteria when the statement is transmitted
formally to you.
For your information, subsequent discussion with General Hilldring
has further clarified certain of the comments offered in the
original letter. Thus, the current United States position is:
-
a.
- With regard to Sulphuric Acid, it was agreed that no
contact type plants would be removed as reparations where
they are serving as integral and essential functional units
in any other manufacturing plants not made available for
claim. If necessary, revisions will be made in the language
now constituting paragraph 1 a (2)
(c) 1 of
the inclosed statement in order that the substance may
clearly indicate this intent.
-
b.
- With regard to the Light Metals Industry, it is highly
probable that the language of paragraphs 1 a (7), and 1 a (7) (a), will be revised as recommended in
the letter in order to provide for the intent indicated by
the comments therein.
-
c.
- With regards Merchant Shipping, it was agreed that no
fishing or whaling vessels, per se, will be made available
for claim. However, whether or not it will be necessary to
revise the language of paragraph 1 a
(9) (a) 1 has
yet to be determined.
-
d.
- With regard to the recommendation that a provision be
included in the ultimate statement which will enable you to
retain facilities for the needs of the occupation, you may
be assured that such provision will be incorporated in
subsequent instructions through proper channels.
-
e.
- With regard to amendment of the title of the basic
statement to read “final,” this matter has yet to be
determined.
I commend to you the members of your staff whose wholehearted
cooperation and enthusiasm during their visit contributed greatly to
the successful accomplishment of the conference. Both General
Hilldring and myself extend our warmest regards.
Sincerely yours,
