393.1111 Nelson, Bert N./71
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs (Hornbeck) of a Conversation With the Chinese Minister (C. C. Wu)
Dr. Wu came in at Mr. Hornbeck’s request.
Mr. Hornbeck imparted orally the substance of Peiping’s telegram 115, March 10, 1 p.m., and handed Dr. Wu a copy of a memorandum hereto attached.15 He (Mr. Hornbeck) said that we regard an incident of this sort with great concern; that the public in this country would react more emphatically to the news of such an incident than probably would the public in China; that we realize that the Nanking Government has been making efforts to put down bandits and to effect release of captive missionaries, and we realize the difficulty which confronts them, but we hope, both for the sake of China’s reputation and on behalf of our national who is thus being submitted to torture in addition to the hardships of the long captivity, that the Chinese Government will make additional efforts, its utmost efforts, to effect the release of Mr. Nelson as well as the release of other missionaries whom the bandits now have captive. Mr. Hornbeck said that we had already instructed the American Minister, who is at Nanking, to bring this matter urgently to the attention of the highest officers of the Chinese Government, and that we hoped that Dr. Wu would also emphasize to his Government the importance of the matter and urge upon them their best endeavors.
- Infra.↩