893.0146/479

The Secretary of State to the Acting Secretary of War ( Woodring )

My Dear Mr. Woodring: I acknowledge the receipt of your letter of November 19, 1935, referring to a letter addressed by the Secretary of War on April 9, 1931, to the then Secretary of State, recommending the withdrawal of the American garrison from Tientsin and stating that, in view of current developments in North China, you renew that recommendation.

As you know, this question has been in times past the subject of thoughtful and mutual consideration by our respective Departments. The development of the contingency mentioned by you would, as you intimate, present a new factor calling for renewed consideration of the whole matter and I shall expect to confer with your Department at an early date in regard thereto.

In the meanwhile I assume of course that no action will be taken by the War Department toward implementing your recommendation and I would request that no publicity be given to the matter.

Sincerely yours,

Cordell Hull