711.93/489: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5:42 p.m.]
793. Reports have reached the Embassy and the Military and Naval Attachés from Chinese sources that General Whang, Air Attaché of the Chinese Embassy at Washington who recently returned to Chungking, has stated to Chinese that officials at Washington are very free in showing telegrams and reports from American official sources at Chungking to officials of the Chinese Embassy and other establishments. This is not the first indication we have had of leakages at Washington. There is evidence that the opinion is held in high Chinese quarters that unfavorable or critical reports have been sent to Washington by American officials at Chungking.60 The Chinese are supersensitive to all criticism. This situation is most embarrassing to all American officials at Chungking endeavoring to keep Washington informed honestly and frankly of factual conditions in this country. We find our sources of information blocked and there is also evidence of tampering with Embassy mail. I urge that all officials at Washington receiving copies of telegrams and reports from Chungking, and particularly the war time agencies not familiar with foreign affairs and not fully conscious of the harm they are doing, be cautioned strictly in this matter.
- In his telegram No. 269, February 21, 1943, 10 a.m. (711.93/521), Ambassador Gauss reported the Embassy “learns from responsible source that prominent Chinese here has asserted that much of confidential information coming to State Department from Far East reaches Dr. Rajchman in employ of T. V. Soong.” L. W. Rajchman was formerly Polish director of League of Nations Health Section.↩