893.00/14964: Telegram

The Chargé in China (Vincent) to the Secretary of State

372. The matter raised in Department’s 301, March 5, 8 p.m., has been discussed with the Military and Naval Attachés who are both desirous of increasing Embassy’s contact with South China area. Military Attaché is sending one of his assistants on a trip to Yunnan–Indochina border from whence he will travel to Kweilin and Kukong for general observation of conditions in the area. Naval Attaché plans to send to Kukong an assistant who will if practicable travel up to Foochow. He expects to keep one officer more or less continuously in the coastal area.

General Stilwell is not in Chungking. I shall discuss the matter with him soon but am sure that he will welcome increased Embassy representation in the area.

It has been Embassy’s intention to assign two officers to Kweilin with instructions that one of them should spend most of his time traveling in the area. A language officer and Richard Service4 would be a good combination.

[Page 729]

With regard to officers in the northwest it may develop that inasmuch as the work within the cities where they are detailed in [is] not exacting or voluminous one officer might divide his time between Chengtu and Sian, traveling also to adjacent areas, and the consular officer at Tihua might make periodic trips to Lanchow. This arrangement suggests itself because of delayed arrival of officers assigned here. I plan to send Clubb5 on to Tihua soon and I may send Drumright6 on to Sian for a period.

On its staff in Chungking the Embassy needs two more officers experienced in China, preferably with language training, in order to function effectively (Commercial and Agricultural Attachés and staffs are excluded from this calculation). When these officers now on assignment assume their duties this need and needs in outlying places will be met and it is hoped therefore that the Department will be able to arrange for their early arrival and arrival also of a Consul General for Kunming.

Vincent
  1. Vice Consul at Kunming.
  2. O. Edmund Clubb, Second Secretary of Embassy in China on detail at Lanchow.
  3. Everett F. Drumright, Second Secretary of Embassy in China and Consul at Kunming.