893.0146/479
The Acting Secretary of War (Woodring) to the Secretary of State
Dear Mr. Secretary: I have the honor to recall to your attention the letter addressed by the Secretary of War on April 9, 1931,26 to your predecessor, recommending the withdrawal of the American garrison from Tientsin, and earnestly to renew that recommendation in view of current developments in North China.
The purpose for which this small force was installed at Tientsin has long since been relinquished. It can serve no useful purpose. On the other hand, particularly if a pseudoautonomous government [Page 702] be set up in North China under Japanese protection, its continued presence will be a potential source of the gravest complications. The position of this garrison will then become exceedingly anomalous. Its employment in any way as a military force would be likely to involve us in war with Japan.
In view of the foregoing, I earnestly recommend the withdrawal of this garrison immediately upon the setting up of an autonomous State in North China.
Sincerely yours,
- Not printed; for reply to this letter, see Foreign Relations, 1931, vol. iii, p. 1015.↩