124.936/320: Telegram

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

48. The American Naval Attaché at Peiping,26 in a telegram dated March 12 to the Navy Department reported that the Soviet Consul General had looked him up for the purpose of obtaining from him information regarding the distribution in North China of Japanese troops.

The Department is confident that the Naval Attaché and all American diplomatic and consular officers in China realize that they should be very much on guard in conversations with Soviet or Japanese officials to avoid imparting to such officials any military information of a confidential or quasi-confidential character relating to the Soviet Union or Japan, and that in any discussion with such officials of Soviet-Japanese relations they should maintain an attitude of discreet impartiality.

Sent to Peiping. Repeated to Chungking.

Hull
  1. Comdr. John M. Creighton.