893.24/1656a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China (Gauss)
1296. Department has received from British Embassy memorandum containing proposal to establish American-British-Chinese organization at Chungking to screen Chinese requirements for non-military supplies from all sources except Russia. It is contemplated that proposed organization would function along lines already established in Turkey and certain African Territories. Under this procedure, statement of essential non-military import requirements would be prepared by joint screening authorities at Chungking. This would be [Page 507] an agreed declaration of what was needed in China, but not a commitment as to what supplies could be made available. Statement would then be forwarded simultaneously to London and Washington for review by appropriate supply authorities. British recommendations concerning sources of supply and total quantities to be made available would be transmitted to Washington, where final program would be determined in agreement with representatives of Combined Boards.
Purpose of this procedure would be (1) to correlate delivery into India of goods destined to China with capacity for further transportation to China; (2) to make certain that supplies actually provided for China are those most urgently needed and that they are made available in order of their importance; (3) to ensure full coordination of orders placed in the United States and Great Britain to meet Chinese requirements. British have suggested that American and British members of joint organization might be appointed from respective Embassies, with authority to select others as necessary. Lend-Lease Mission to be attached to General Stilwell’s headquarters will soon proceed to China, and arrangements would contemplate full cooperation between Mission and screening organization. Lend-Lease has recommended that its mission constitute American representation in screening group. British note also states that representation of Chinese Government on screening group might be direct or through liaison officer.
It is appreciated here that screening activities would have to be on restricted scale for some time, since transportation capacity is so limited. It is opinion of Department, Lend-Lease and Munitions Assignment Board that proposal warrants most careful consideration. We should appreciate your full comments, after consultation with General Stilwell or appropriate American military authorities. A prerequisite would of course be that Chinese Government approve the plan and cooperate in establishing appropriate procedure, but you should not discuss proposal with any representatives of Chinese Government until final American decision has been made and communicated to British Embassy here. Please telegraph comments.
[In connection with the telegram printed supra, Mr. Hornbeck, the Adviser on Political Relations, wrote the following memorandum on September 13, 1943:
“I am initialing this proposed telegram for the reason that it is an expression of an opinion of the Department. I wish, however, to make record again of my view that so long as this Government and the British Government decline to admit the Chinese to a membership [Page 508] or an effective representation on the Munitions Assignment Board, the procedure of assigning munitions, etc. to China is going to continue to be a source of suspicion and cause of resentment to the Chinese, is going to be regarded by the Chinese as an evidence that we and the British do not wish or intend to treat China as a full partner in the war effort, is going to impede our effort to get maximum of cooperation from the Chinese, and is going to add straws to the diplomatic burden which is piling up in the political field and which will have to be carried in our relations with China in the postwar period. It would be a good deal easier to reason with the Chinese about the problem of distribution of munitions were the Chinese represented on the Board than it has been[,] is or will be while the Chinese are not there represented.”]