Office of the Historian

393.1115/4157: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Counselor of Embassy in China (Lockhart), at Peiping

Washington, March 21, 1939—6 p.m.

61. Tientsin’s 38, March 20, 2 p.m.,44 in regard to the use of marine guards at the residences of Americans and at the American school in the first special area.

The Department believes that the competent American authorities on the spot are, in the light of basic instructions and of their knowledge and appraisal of local conditions, in a better position than is the Department to decide with regard to the need and advisability of proceeding as indicated in the telegram under reference. The Department offers for consideration the suggestion that, if the situation under reference calls for the use of American guards, it might be preferable for the endangered Americans to concentrate at some central place where protection might be afforded without a dispersement of marine forces. It is emphasized that this is merely a suggestion and the Department desires to leave decision in the matter to the military commanders on the spot in consultation with the Embassy and the Consulate General.

Repeated to Tientsin, Chungking and Shanghai.

Welles
  1. Not printed.↩