Evening star., 1941-12-15
The tull tert OF the Presidents

The tuH tert OF the Presidents
message to Congress today tol-
lo1DS.:
On December 8, 1941, presented
to the Congress message in person
asking for a declaration of war as
an answer to the treacherous attack
made by Japan the previous day
upon the United States. For the
information of the Congress, anG as
a public record of the facts, I am
transmitting this historical sum-
mary of the past policy Of this coun-
try in relation to the Pacific area
and of the more immediate. events
leading up to this Japanese on
slaught upon our forces and terri
tory. Attached hereto are the va
rious documents and correspondence
implementing this history.
I.
A little over a hundred years ago,
In 1888, the United States entered
into its first Far Eastern treaty, 81
treaty with Siam. 1t was q treaty
providing for peace and for depend
able relationships.
Ten years later Caleb Gushing was
sent to negotiate, and in 1874 there
was concluded our first treaty with
China.
In 1853 Commodore Perry knocked
on Japan's doors. In the next few
years those doors began to open;
and Japan, which had kept itself
aloof from the world, began to adopt
what we call Western civilization.
During those early years the United
States used every influence it could
exert to protect Japan in her tranSl-
ton stage.
With respect to the entire Pacific
area, the United States has con-
sistently urged, as it has for all other
parts of the globe, the fundamental
importance to world peace of fair
and equal treatment among nations.
Accordingly, whenever there has been
a tendency on the part OF any other
nation to encroach upon the in
dependence and sovereignty of coun-
tries of the Far East, the United
States has tried to discourage such
tendency wherever possible.
There was a period when this
American attitude was especially i'm
portant to Japan. At all times 1t
has been important to China and
to other countries of the Far East.
At the end of the 10Th century
the sovereignty of the Philippine
Islands passed from Spain to this
country. The United States pledged
itself to policy toward the Philip
pines designed to equip them to be-
come a free and independent ma
ton. That pledge and that policy
we have consistently carried out.
"Open Door" Policy
Laid Down for China.
At that time there was going on
In China what has been called the
scramble for concessions. There
was even talk about a possible par
titioning of China. 1t was then that
the principle of the open door" in
China was laid down. In 1900 the
American Government declared that
its policy was to seek a solution
which may bring about permanent
safety and peace to China +'' pro-
tect all rights guaranteed to friendly
powers by treaty and international
law and safeguard for the world the
principle of equal and impartial
trade with all parts of the Chinese
Empire"
Ever since that day we have con-
sistently and unfailingly advocated
the principles of the open door pol
icy throughout the Far East.
In the year 1908 the Government
Of the United States and the gov
ernment of Japan concluded an
agreement by an exchange of notes.
In that agreement the two govern
ments jointly declared that they
were determined to support ''by all
pacific means at their disposal the
independence and integrity of China
and the principle of equal oppor-
tunity for commerce and industry
of all nations in that empire; that
1t was "the wish of the two govern
ments to encourage the free and
peaceful development of their COM
merce on the Pacific Ocean; and
that "the policy of both govern
ments" was directed to the main
tenance of the existing status quo"
In that region.
The United States has consistent
ly practiced the principles enun-
ciated in that agreement.
Nine Power Treaty
Pledged Respect for China
In 1921, following the close Of the
first World War, nine powers hav-
ing interests in the Western Pacific
met in conference in Washington.
China, Japan and the United States
were there. One great objective of
this conference was the mainte-
nance of peace in the Pacific. This
was to be achieved by reduction OF
armament and by regulation of
competition in the Pacific and Far
Eastern areas. Several treaties and
agreements were concluded at that
conference.
One of these was the nine-power
treaty. 1t contained pledges to re-
spect the sovereignty of China and
the principle of equal opportunity
for the commerce and industry of
all nations throughout China
Another was a treaty between the
United States, the British Empire,
France. Italy and Japan providing
for limitation of naval armament.
The course of events which have
led directly to the present crisis
began 10 years ago. For it was
then-in 1931-that Japan under
took, on large scale, its present
policy of conquest in China. 1t
began by the invasion of Manchu-
ria, which was part of China. The
Council and the Assembly of the
League of Nations, at once and dur
ing many months of continuous
effort thereafter, tried to persuade
Japan to stop. The United States
supported that effort. For example,
the Government of the United
States on January 7, 1882, specif1-
cally stated in notes sent to the
Japanese and the Chinese govern