393.115/642: Telegram
The Chargé in Japan (Dooman) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 23—9:10 a.m.]
241. Department’s 138, May 20, 4 p.m., bombing of American properties.
1. The text of the note presented today to the Foreign Office is as follows:
[Here follows text of note printed in Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, volume I, page 650.]
2. With regard to the question raised in the final paragraph of the Department’s telegram under reference: there has been an improvement in conditions during the past few weeks, indicating that the central authorities can, if they wish, exercise control over the military in China. The impulse to wish to exercise such control comes from [Page 329] (a) desire to improve relations with the United States because of the situation in Europe and (b) fear of publication of our note of March 30.70 In view of these two factors, I feel that the publication of our representations at this immediate juncture would not be opportune. I heartily recommend publication, however, if conditions deteriorate within the next 2 weeks, by which time the Japanese Government will presumably have come to a decision on its policy toward Europe. I assume that in the meantime the Department will wish to consider, in connection with the question of publication, the Japanese reply (see our 238, May 19, 4 p.m.71) to our note of March 30 and also our note of today.
Repeated to Peiping, Chungking.