893.48/2138
The Secretary of State to Mr. Henry R. Luce, of New York
My Dear Mr. Luce: I was interested to learn from your letter of August fifth93 that all of the various separate private agencies concerned with Chinese relief have joined in the effort of the United China Relief, and to know that the appeal for aid for civilian victims of China’s struggle is meeting with generous responses in our country.
It is an established practice of the Department of State to refrain from writing letters and endorsing efforts by private organizations to raise funds. However, I can, and am glad to, give you assurances in regard to a particular question to which you call attention. You [Page 722] state that the question is often raised as to whether the raising of funds by the United China Relief is entirely consistent with the policy of the State Department, and that many potential givers are less certain about giving for Chinese relief than, for example, to British relief. I can assure you that the Department of State and the Government as a whole are favorably disposed toward every properly conducted effort, not in conflict with sound essential or accepted economic policies, to minimize or to alleviate human suffering. In accordance with that concept and attitude, we make no distinction between Chinese relief and British relief; both properly conducted are consistent with this Government’s policies. Moreover, we believe that the humanitarian purposes of efforts so conducted to relieve civilian suffering among the peoples of other nations testifies to the humanitarian inclinations of our people and should contribute to the strengthening of good will among men and between nations.
The effort of the Chinese people to emerge from the present conflict as a progressive and democratic nation is one in which the sympathies of our own nation are deeply involved. The humanitarian purposes of the United China Relief—the aid of distressed men, women and children—are ones which can be shared by all of us in a generous expression of the traditional friendship of the people of the United States for the people of China.
The kind sentiment which you were so good as to express in your last paragraph is much appreciated.
Sincerely yours,
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