893.86/5½
The Assistant Secretary of State (Berle) to the Mayor of the City of New York (La Guardia)
Dear Fiorello: Let me thank you for your courteous letter of January 18, 1943 and for your generous assistance in connection with the deserting Chinese sailors.
The War Shipping Administration which was represented at your conference is, as I understand, fully informed as to the proposed plan. We have asked them to work out the plan with the British, as they are in continuous and direct touch with the British shipping authorities. We shall hope to get some results.
As you accurately state, the real consideration is to make certain that approximately 10,000 Chinese seamen now on British ships will not desert when they arrive at an American port.
The Department is obliged to you for your intervention.
With kind regards [etc.]