893.20/7–1344
The Consul General at Kunming (Langdon) to the Ambassador in China (Gauss)33
Sir: As of possible interest to the Embassy, I have the honor to report on the origins, development and treatment of the recently organized Corps of Chinese Interpreters for the Allied Armies.
Summary:–The movement to provide a corps of interpreters for the Allied Armies was started by Kunming universities on an informal patriotic basis, and when the movement was well under way the Central Government, to save its face, by decree legalized the interpreter program and extended it to graduating classes of all national universities. Up to the present some 500 interpreters have been provided the Allied Armies under the program. As the Central Government failed to pay the interpreters the salaries or supply the uniforms and shoes provided for in the decree, the Corps recently came to the verge of collapse and was saved only by the intervention of the universities concerned and the American Army. The latter now pays these salaries and provides their clothing, charging the same to the Chinese Government for eventual settlement. End of summary.
[Here follows detailed report.]
Respectfully yours,
- Copy transmitted to the Department by the Ambassador without covering despatch; received August 5.↩