Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1942, China

893.20/750: Telegram

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

Washington, April 3, 1942—5 p.m.

253. Your 266, March 25, 2 a.m. Please inform Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the matter in question is receiving appropriate consideration.

According to unpublished figures of the Bureau of the Census, there were in 1940 in the Hawaiian Islands 28,774 persons of the Chinese race, of whom 23,930 were “native born” and 4,844 were “foreign born”. The Bureau states that 6,138 of the “native born” and 427 of the “foreign born” fell within the age group 18 to 44. Persons in the “native born” category would presumably be American citizens and those of military age would be subject to military service under the Selective Service Act.³

Welles

3. Approved September 16, 1940; 54 Stat. 885.