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if a propitious time occurred. Hence his great interest 
in the attitude of the United States towards Japan.
 
        I told Mr. Molotov that the Government of the United 
States was disturbed at the encroachments which Japan 
was making in the Far East and I was sure the American 
people would not look with any favor on Japan gaining 
a further hold in Siberia; that our long period of 
friendly relations between Russia and the United States, 
with our two countries only fifty miles apart, should
be some indication of our interest in seeing stability 
in the Far East, including Siberia.
 
         I told him that our Government was watching devel-
opments in the Far Eastern situation with great care and 
looked with misgivings and concern at the threatening 
attitude of Japan, both to the South and to the North. 
I told him, however, that our attitude towards Japan 
was a reasonable one and that we had no desire to be 
provocative in our relations with Japan.
 
         I told him I would give the President his message 
regarding his, Molotov's, anxiety about Siberia and 
his desire to have the President indicate to Japan 
that further encroachments would not be tolerated.
 
         I asked Mr. Molotov what their relationships with 
China were in the light of new developments and whether 
or not they could contiuue rendering the substantial 
material assistance they had been giving to Chiang 
Kai-shek or whether the Soviet Union's requirements 
in its own war with Germany would preclude their con-
tinuing to supply China.