893.24/1660: Telegram
The Ambassador in China ( Gauss ) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 24—2:52 a.m.]
1790. Department’s 1296, September 16. This matter was discussed by Atcheson34 with General Stilwell on September 2. Among the questions which arose were the following:
- (1)
- What is the motivating purpose of the British suggestion, especially in the light of the comparatively meagre amount of British supplies which have been and may be expected to be sent to China and
- (2)
- Would the proposed setup be definitely helpful in a practical way including the question would it be of concrete assistance to our military authorities here or would it on the other hand constitute merely another agency which would burden General Stilwell’s headquarters with additional work such as conferences, correspondence, telegrams, etc.
In connection with (1), Stilwell and we are of the opinion that no good political purpose is to be served by setting up any arrangement whereunder the American supplies coming to China might be classified as “Allied” supplies.
As regards (2), Stilwell feels that the organization would not be of concrete practical help to his headquarters and might indeed add to the headquarter’s work; that is, the Lend-Lease group is to be attached to his headquarters; in any case the screening of supplies could be effected without setting up an international organization so long as the Lend-Lease group maintains sufficient liaison with the appropriate British authorities to ensure that undesirable duplications in supply be avoided.
- George Atcheson, Jr., Counselor of Embassy, then Chargé in China.↩