893.20/754: Telegram

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

562. Department’s 253, April 3, 5 p.m. and your despatch 354, April 8.4 War Department reports that a careful study has been made of the Chinese Government’s suggestion that a volunteer corps be organized from among Chinese in Hawaii. It states that a substantial proportion of the Chinese in Hawaii are now performing important civil defense and other duties essential to the welfare of the Territory, and that others have been inducted into the armed forces. While fully appreciating the sentiment of the Chinese Government, the War Department feels that it would be impracticable at this time to relieve these men from their duties in order to form a separate Chinese volunteer corps.

In your discretion and if you consider it advisable, you may inform the Foreign Office of the substance of the preceding paragraph.

Hull
  1. Latter not printed; it enclosed copy of a note to the Chinese Ministry for Foreign Affairs dated April 8, carrying out instructions contained in Department’s telegram No. 253, April 3, 5 p.m., to the Ambassador, supra.