894.48B/420: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Woods) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5:31 p.m.]
48. I took up the matter of Department’s 36, March 8, 1 p.m. with the Minister for Foreign Affairs who said at once that he was entirely unable to understand how the American Government had obtained [Page 499] the impression mentioned because it had always been distinctly understood that the request to use the balance of the Red Cross funds to construct a memorial hospital had been made by the Japanese authorities although before making it they ascertained through Hanihara that the American Red Cross would not be averse to the suggestion.
He added that they have never had the impression that the recommendation came from American Government and he affirmed that the Japanese authorities did desire to construct this hospital and in fact did not wish to spend the money in any other fashion; that the Japanese Government would not care to undertake the plan which had been recently proposed in some circles of dividing up the funds among a number of existing hospitals; that any other manner of spending the money would open the door to jealousies and greed.
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It is my personal opinion that any change in the plans of the Red Cross at this late date would have an unfortunate effect on the even trend of the relations now existing between the two countries.