125.0093/552: Telegram

The Ambassador in China (Gauss) to the Secretary of State

807. With the return to the United States of Chinese language officers exchanged for Japanese diplomatic and consular officers, I recommend that the Department give consideration to the possible detail of consular officers to Kweilin, Kwangsi, and Sian, Shensi, requesting the Chinese Government to give consent to such assignments in order to provide consular officials near centers of American residence in Free China to look after the interests of our nationals, it being understood of course that these places are not open, and that the stationing of officers there is a temporary war time expedient. The Foreign Office has consented to a British Consul General being sent to the provincial capital of Kwangtung in substitution for the Consul General at Canton. We might designate our officer at Kweilin as substitution for Consul General at Canton, and at Sian as substitute for Consul General at Hankow. These offices should have small staffs only and the officers should be prepared to withdraw in advance of any Japanese offensive. I have not mentioned this proposal to the Foreign Office and await instructions before doing so.

Gauss