711.9412Anti-War/98: Telegram
The Chargé in Japan ( Neville ) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 19—2:11 a.m.]
25. Department’s March 18, 1 p.m. The News as quoted is incorrect. The Prime Minister or some parliamentary representative of the Government is constantly being questioned in the Diet. On the 14th the Prime Minister in reply to a question stated briefly that the Government is taking the necessary procedure to ratify the treaty and believes that it contains nothing contrary to the Constitution. This is the stock answer to all such questions. The Daily News man evidently [Page 243] got hold of a wrong translation that day and thought it was something new.
As I have previously explained, the Government desires to avoid discussing the treaty in the Diet.
I shall telegraph further in regard to the instruction.