893.86/5a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China ( Gauss )
1364. Please communicate the following to General Stilwell and transmit his reply to the Department:
Agreement has been reached between British, Indian and Chinese governments for deportation from United States to Ramgarh, India with a view to their conscription into Chinese armed forces of Chinese seamen who have deserted their ships in United States ports. Proposed arrangements are in accordance with the recent law passed by Congress to amend United States immigration law in respect of deportation of alien seamen. The agreement of the Indian government is subject to following conditions: (1) Individuals deported to India must be of sufficiently high medical category to permit of their acceptance in the Chinese Army; (2) No individual whose history is doubtful from point of view of security should be sent to India; (3) Assurance should be given to the Indian Government before the first [Page 810] party of Chinese deserters leaves a United States port that definite orders have been sent to Ramgarh to provide a Chinese military escort for the deserters on their arrival in India and to escort them from the port of arrival to Ramgarh; (4) Deserters should be sent in batches of twenty-five to thirty-five at a time under intimation to the Government of India.
Since the Chinese armed forces at Ramgarh are under your orders the Department would be grateful if you would advise whether the arrangements and the conditions proposed by the Indian government are acceptable to you and in particular whether you can give assurance that arrangements will be made to provide Chinese military escorts at the port of arrival in India, and how much advance notice you will require. An early reply would be appreciated.