793.94/8292: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China ( Johnson )
260. Reference your 511, October 23, 5 p.m., and Department’s 255, October 24, noon, in reply thereto.
The Department has noted Nanking’s reference in second paragraph of Nanking’s telegram of October 21, noon, to Peiping, to possible action in a possible situation of “actual crisis”. In this connection, the Department requests that numbered paragraph 1 of the Department’s telegram No. 19 of February 3, 1932, 7 p.m., addressed to the American Consul at Nanking,49 for the Minister, be brought to the attention of Nanking. The Department is confident that, should there appear imminent a situation imperiling the lives of members of the American community and Embassy staff in Nanking, the Embassy at Nanking would take appropriate steps in the light of that instruction. The Department of course expects that in any situation [Page 367] of crisis officers and staffs will remain at their posts as long as practicable for the purpose of safeguarding and assisting American nationals and interests but does not desire that officers and staffs be exposed unduly and beyond a point of reasonableness to serious danger of life.
The foregoing is brought to your attention not in the thought that any action along the line indicated is likely to be needed at this time but as of possible assistance and guidance if and when there should arise a situation of crisis.
- Not printed.↩