デジタル版『渋沢栄一伝記資料』

大正5年12月10日（1916年）

是日、当委員会東京銀行倶楽部ニ開カレ、栄一出席シテ聯合国傷病兵罹災者慰問ノ議ヲ主唱シ、一座ノ賛成ヲ得。尚、アメリカ人ジョン・ベーツ・クラーク教授ヨリ阪谷芳郎ヲ経テ申込ミタル、日米両国聯合高等委員設立計画ニツイテ協議ス。

（阪谷芳郎）日米関係委員会日記　大正五年
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（阪谷子爵家所蔵）
　　　　洋行　五年五月一日東京発、十一月三日余帰朝ス
　　　　　　　十月初旬紐育ニテクラーク教授ヨリJoint Commissionノ件話アリ
　　　　　　　（五年十月七日紐育ニテクラーク氏ヨリJoint Commissionノ件ニ付話アリ）
　　　　　　　同十二月十日日米関係委員会、本野外相○一郎・永井○松三・中村・熊崎其他出席、余及添田、ジヨイント・コンミツシヨンノ件ニ付、吉野作蔵《（吉野作造）》ニ従来ノ沿革取調並解決案ノ考案ニ付、委員トナル《（タルカ）》島田三郎氏ヨリ吉野氏ニ申入ノコトニ決ス
　　　　　　　同十二月十六日銀行集会所、吉野・島田・添田・阪谷、吉野氏承諾、来ル一月一杯ニ報告ヲナルヘク為スヘシトノコト
　　　　　　　同十二月廿七日付クラーク氏宛ジヨイント・コンミツシヨンノ件経過

（阪谷芳郎）書翰控　ジョン・ベーツ・クラーク宛　一九一六年一二月二七日
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（阪谷子爵家所蔵）
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　　　　　　　　　（別筆）
　　　　　　　　　五年十二月廿八日発送ス
　　　　　　　　　六年十二月五日付クラーク氏回答三月
　　　　　　　　　六日着ス
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Dec. 27, 1916.
　　Confidential
Dear Sir : -
　　On the 7th of October 1916, you called on me in the Hotel Astor New York, and talked about the subject how to solve the Question of California Anti-Japanese Laws. You suggested that it will be advisable to constitute a Joint Commission of Americans and Japanese and let the commission thoroughly investigate the question, and you further told me that if it is necessary, the Carnegie Endowment will take the trouble of making arrangement for convoking a conference of such commission. I answered that the idea of the Joint Commission is very good, but as the matter is very grave I shall on my return to Japan consult with some of my friends both in and out of the government, and sound their views.
　　I already talked about the subject with some of the most influential men in Japan, and finally on the 10th of December I placed the matter before the meeting of the American-Japanese Relations Committee. The same kind of committee was constituted in San Francisco among the most influential Americans in November 1915 when Baron Shibusawa visited there, and on his return to Japan he constituted the committee in Tokio in February 1916. The committee consists of twenty one members selected from the most influential men in Japan, who have clear knowledge and impartial views of American-Japanese Relations.
　　Among those present at the meeting on the 10th of December there were Baron Shibusawa, Mr. Shimada the president of House of Commons, Dr. Soyeda the ex-President of the Government Railway Bureau, Mr. Asano the President of Oriental Steamship Company, etc. Viscount Motono the Minister of Foreign Affairs specially attended the meeting in private capacity, although he is not the member of the committee. I fully explained what you told me about the Joint Commission and the nature of the Carnegie Endowment. The committee discussed the matter about two hours and resolved as follows : -
I. The Joint Commission of Americans and Japanese is the most suitable idea to be adopted in order to solve the California Question.
II. The Joint Commission should be of private character having no governmental relation either American or Japanese. We
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believe the Japanese government will welcome the existence of such private Joint Commission.
III. How to select and appoint the commissioners, what power to be trusted to them, where they meet, how their expenses to be paid, etc. are the most important points to be fully considered.
IV. Before anything is formally proceeded the matter should be fully consulted with the Committee of American-Japanese Relations in San Francisco so as not to let them feel neglected.
V. Supposing the Joint Commission after having met together unfortunately ended without arriving at any solution, there is still great advantage which will result from such commission by investigation and publication, of making points of contests clear and of giving knowledge to those people of the United States and Japan who have been hithertofore comparatively indifferent to the California question and who have not paid much attention to the danger to come if things left to petty politicians and yellow papers.
VI. The discussion will be continued, and in the next meeting we will make more full and definite investigation.
　　I write this letter to let you know how your suggestion of the Joint Commission is developing among the most influential men in this country quite confidentially. I am together with Mr. Shimada, Dr. Soyeda (these two gentlemen visited America some years ago to investigate the California Question) and Dr. Yoshino the professor of political science in the Tokio Imperial University, now preparing a document which will state the Historical Outline of the California Question, the points to be settled etc. etc. When the document is finished, I will put it before the meeting of American-Japanese Relations Committee, and then I can write to you more definitely about the steps to be taken hereafter in constituting the Joint Commission you suggested.
　　　　　　　　I remain,
　　　　　　　　　　　　Most sincerely yours,
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(Signed) Y. Sakatani
Professor John Bates Clark

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