THE WHITE HOUSE                       
 
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proceeding well, and the Japanese divers and pilots held in 
      Australia cannot be of great help to the Japanese, even in respect 
      of Far Eastern installations, in view of our present sea and 
                         air superiority.                   
 
      My suggestion is that you give directions to your people to waive 
      the search of Japanese officials; I will be prepared to recommend 
      to our people that they let the divers and pilots be exchanged. 
      This at leat will give a reasonable chance that both exchanges 
      might go through, saving many hundreds of both Americans and 
      British from slow death. Please cable me your views. I think 
      the technical people are over-emphasizing the importance of considerations 
      quite proper in them, but which should be overridden by the higher 
      humanitarian interest.