893.01 Provisional/32: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Counselor of Embassy in China (Lockhart), at Peiping
18. Reference your 35, January 17, 4 p.m. The Department desires that Caldwell be guided by the principles set forth in instruction No. 400, December 15, 7 p.m.,51 to you in his relations with the officials of the “Provisional Government”. Some latitude, however, is possible in his relations with local authorities as distinguished from the central authorities of the new regime.
It is not practicable to give Caldwell instructions which would apply to every contingency that might arise in his relations with officials of the new regime but the Department relies upon his resourcefulness and discretion to meet the requirements of instruction No. 400 and at the same time to avoid undue emphasis upon matters of form. The Department desires that he keep his relations with the new officials on an informal basis.