393.115 President Hoover/41: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China (Johnson)
232. Your 614, September 6, 5 p.m., and previous. Department is of the opinion that, although cost of repairs to President Hoover cannot be ascertained until after arrival of the vessel in the United States, it would be advisable at this time for you to suggest orally and informally to the appropriate authorities of the Chinese Government the favorable reaction which probably would result from a voluntary offer by the Chinese Government to make as a solatium payment of specific sums of money to the heirs of the deceased seaman and to those others of the crew and among the passengers who were injured as a result of the bombing of the President Hoover. Department of course is not in position to state in advance whether, in the event that such offer is made, the sums offered would be acceptable but assumes that, in view of the seriousness of the incident and the Chinese Government’s acceptance of responsibility therefor, the Chinese Government would wish to make full restitution in so far as any monetary payment could accomplish that end.
The Embassy’s attention is drawn to the fact that of the seven members of the vessel’s crew reported as injured by the bombing the Department has thus far received the names of only six.