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do next. We must remember that the reason why these Japanese envoys were here, were invited to come, had been given safe conduct, was a desperate hope - not desperate in the beginning, I think, but a feeble hope on Mr. Hull's part and a strong hope on the part of some others - that by some kind of agreement and negotiation the Japanese could be persuaded not to extend the area of their operations and not to enlarge the war.

The concern, of course, was the concern with the weakness of the British in the Pacific. I remember on this particular afternoon there was a great deal of talk about how much the British had done for the Japanese in the past, how greatly beholden to the British the Japanese were for a great deal of their modernization and modern development, and for their very favorable position in trade in the East. Again people said, “Why do the Japanese think they have to have this Asiatic co-prosperity? They're already the leaders of trade in the East? Why can't they let it grow naturally? Why must they extend their area of influence by force, by war?” these are fruitless questions, but theyare the kind of questions that people asked, because they still are bewildered as to why the Japanese did what they did.

So there was Mr. Hull's discussion of the hopelessness of the peace negotiations and the reiteration of his belief that the Japanese were going to enlarge the war. There