893.20/517: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in China (Gauss)
28. Your 41, January 28, 4 p.m. Department’s 25, January 26, 2 p.m. is based on the second paragraph of your 35, January 25, noon. Department desires to forestall the possible issuance by the Chinese Government of any such invitation. We prefer that the American Government should not have to receive or to reject or to deal in any way with such an invitation; therefore, that there be no such invitation. We, however, appreciate the considerations that the Legation has in mind and if the Legation can safeguard the situation by some other process better than by the process outlined in the Department’s instruction, Department authorizes Legation so to proceed in its own discretion; but the situation should be safeguarded, and the Department desires that Peck know the Department’s attitude, leaving to his discretion the time and method of conveying an understanding of our view.
For your information, the War Department was informally consulted prior to the despatch of telegram 25, January 26, 2 p.m. and that Department expressed concurrence in this Department’s views as set forth in that telegram.